The content of the article:
- Playing on the nerves in congested traffic
- "The checkers game"
- Fake pedestrian at the crossing
- "We ourselves are not local" ...
- Divorce schemes in the parking lot
- Cultural victim
- Costumed car inspectors
- Traffic jam problems
- Summer. Heat. Open windows
- "Phantom Pedestrian"
Recently, the number of car "frames" on the roads has sharply increased - fraudulent schemes for "relatively honest taking of money from the population", as the well-known character of the novel Ilf and Petrov put it.
Car owners compare the current situation with the "dashing nineties". And this is despite the fact that a modern driver is much more informed and, it would seem, should be reliably protected from fraudulent "divorce" schemes.
But criminals do not stand still, constantly inventing more and more new schemes or improving old ones ... As a rule, dishonest people hit three human weaknesses: the nervous system, greed and compassion.
Playing on the nerves in congested traffic
For this scheme, scammers usually use a car that looks quite expensive, but not new. For example, the BMW produced at the end of the 2000s: the car costs a lot, looks expensive.
Such a car is markedly slow moving along a street densely loaded with vehicles, which is adjoined by many exits from yards, gateways and other areas with a limited view.
As a rule, a novice driver falls for a trick. According to the rules, he must, giving way, go to the main road. Alas, the density of car traffic forces him to do this "in front of the nose" of a creeping car.
Fraudsters give the hapless victim the opportunity to do this, and then catch up (which is quite easy in a congested traffic that moves extremely slowly) and make claims: the car is scratched when the car leaves.
The driver is asked to get out of the car and look at the scratched bumper. It is really scratched, and while the driver who gullibly left his car is considering the "damage caused", the fraudster's accomplice with the help of a piece of sandpaper leaves the same scratches on the victim's car.
This is followed by the classic offer in such cases "to disperse in an amicable way", that is, without a traffic inspector, they say, to give several thousand rubles cheaper than to understand according to the law: in the second case, they can be fined and deprived of rights, but you still have to pay for the repairs.
How to protect yourself
There are two main defenders of the car owner in a similar situation:
- concluded auto insurance contract.
If the rules of the road are followed, there is nothing to be afraid of. At the first attempt by intruders to force the driver to get out of the car, the doors should be blocked, and through the slightly open window, inform the fraudsters that there is auto insurance and a call to the traffic inspection service will be made right now.
As a rule, a demonstratively removed phone quickly helps fraudsters evaporate. If this does not happen, they are trying to “put pressure” on the driver, you can safely call 102. You should not get out of the car at the same time, do not enter into an argument with the “interlocutors” provoking this.
"The checkers game"
For this type of car "set-up" two cars are used. Perhaps that is why this method is inferior in frequency to the previous one: two cars are twice as much gasoline, and some driving skills are also needed.
The essence of the fraudulent scheme such. Car "A" tries to position itself to the side and slightly behind the victim, moving in the "blind zone" of its side mirrors. Car "B" makes a sharp change of lane in the stream, trying to provoke the victim to the same sharp maneuver. In this situation, the very fact of a collision or scratching a car driving in a "dead zone" is not important. As in the previous case, the main thing is to convince the victim driver of this.
How to protect yourself
If possible, you should not react to such sudden maneuvers and lane changes. Moreover, do not start the most abrupt rearrangements to adjacent lanes. If you suspect such a "scam", you should carefully look around, slow down and change to the extreme right lane, since in this position the car will be protected from at least one side.
If attackers still forced to make a stop, you should proceed in the same way as in the previous case.
Fake pedestrian at the crossing
This scheme is extremely unpleasant, especially on narrow streets, the sides of which are full of parked cars, and traffic is congested.
Fraudsters try to guess the moment in order to distract the victim driver in the area of an unregulated pedestrian crossing: for example, take a sharp exit to the left of the car. Naturally, the driver will be distracted by a suddenly emerging car, and at this time a pedestrian literally falls on him. As a rule, the swindler's accomplice hits the hood with his hand and falls on the crossing as if he was knocked down.
In this situation, the nerves of even an experienced motorist will not stand, because a person knocked down on a "zebra" is no longer just a violation of traffic rules, but a criminal offense.
This is a serious and costly question, therefore, other accomplices, from false eyewitnesses to “accidentally passing by” doctors diagnosing the “victim” with serious injuries and even dummy traffic inspectors, can also help the pair of “driver-pedestrian” scammers. This is followed by a predictable ending: a proposal to negotiate "peace".
Alas, in this situation many drivers cannot stand the nervous stress and offer a lot of money themselvesto get rid of big problems.
How to protect yourself
In any case, you should act according to the rules: call 102 and 103... It is important to make these calls from your own phone, without being distracted by the advice of well-wishers to do it for the driver. If the driver acts calmly and confidently, intruders, as a rule, instantly dissolve along the nearest gateways.
"We ourselves are not local" ...
Such a setup is usually prepared outside the city limits in the gas station area. A car is parked on the side of the road, and its driver frantically waving his hands, asking passers-by for help. Its purpose is to force the victim driver to stop.
This is followed by the classic story "we ourselves are not local, we ran out of gasoline (or we are waiting for a tow truck)." The driver has no money, he has to go further. But he is not a beggar: here, for example, a gold ring or a hundred dollar bill, will give it back cheaper, just help with a small amount!
A similar fraudulent scheme has been known since the "dashing nineties": as a rule, a bill is a fake, and a ring is a fake.
How to protect yourself
There is an old rule: not sure - don't stop. But on the other hand, there are situations when a person really needs help. How to be?
You can also help wisely. For example, offer to help with towing to a gas station. If the driver refuses such a service or suddenly leaves in a mystically started car, it means that major troubles have been avoided.
Divorce schemes in the parking lot
For car parking, scammers have developed a whole bunch of schemes to deceive honest drivers. At first glance, the schemes are different: a sheet of paper pasted on the rear window, kefir splashed on the windshield, a pretty lady “lost” with a question like “how to get to the library”, a punctured tire ...
The beginning of the "divorce" can be anything, the goal is one: to lure the driver out of the car in any way. As soon as the hapless victim leaves the driver's seat, the fraudster sneaks into the car unnoticed. And there - according to the circumstances: they can simply steal the bag, phone, purse left on the front seat, or they can steal the "swallow" itself.
How to protect yourself
Here the defense is the simplest: a simple rule should be firmly established - if you need to leave the driver's seat, turn off the engine, close the windows, get the ignition key, take all your valuables with you, turn on the car alarm and only then get out. In this case, the main thing is important: these actions must be performed regardless of whether the driver plans to go out for an hour or for a minute. Safety comes first!
"Cultural victim"
This scheme is often played out in parking lots near large stores and supermarkets.
The victim driver backs up to leave the parking lot, and then a car appears behind, with which there is a minor collision. A driver emerges from the back of the car, who intelligently, without shaking his fists, complains that he has just bought a car ... He himself invites the victim to come to an agreement and names an amount that is clearly underestimated.
Usually, human greed and unwillingness to contact official services are triggered here: the victim agrees to pay, rejoicing that he got off cheaply.
How to protect yourself
The protection in this case is very simple: call the car inspector and the insurance company.
Costumed car inspectors
For some reason, scammers engaged in this divorce scheme have become very active in St. Petersburg for some reason. The number of victims is already in dozens, not hundreds have sat down.
Criminals disguised as traffic police officers are engaged on the roads by extorting money from drivers for allegedly committed offenses or non-compliance of the car with established requirements. It is characteristic that many of the victims do not know that they have suffered, and they are happy that they were able to “solve the problems peacefully,” that is, by giving a bribe.
Moreover, even if the victim gets his sight, he still does not go to the police, believing that even a fake “employee on duty” will not be patted on the head for giving a bribe. This is where scammers play. Meanwhile, a frank confession about giving a bribe automatically negates the responsibility of the confessed one.
How to protect yourself
In this case, the issue of protection is rather complicated, since, in the opinion of law enforcement agencies, the information provided by the victims indicates that this is most likely about former traffic police officers.
You can only advise by fixing the identity data, nevertheless then contact the traffic police.
Traffic jam problems
Traffic jams are a source of many problems for the driver. Slow, unnerving movement is unnerving and therefore dulls vigilance. This is what scammers use.
Like the schemes in parking lots, they use any means to get the driver to leave the car, even for a minute.
There are many ways to do this: from the awl fixed to the boot, with which the tire is pierced (and the fraudster himself, as a rule, points this out to the driver afterwards) to the same infamous bottle of kefir splashed onto the windshield.
You can't do this, because as soon as the car is left without a driver, the swindler's accomplice will immediately try to profit from it.
How to protect yourself
A flooded windshield is cleaned by a "wiper", a punctured tire is not the end of the world. In any case, demonstrating temperament and jumping out of the car without drowning it out and not taking everything of value with you is exactly the reaction that fraudsters seek. You should not arrange a holiday for them, demonstrating nerves and temperament.
Summer. Open windows
This is no longer quite a fraud, but an elementary theft., which becomes possible thanks to the negligence of drivers who, suffering from the summer heat, open the windows not only from their side, but also from the opposite, while throwing valuables on the next seat: a phone, a bag, a wallet.
How to protect yourself
Before opening the window and seducing the thieves with things carelessly scattered around the seat, you should think: what is more expensive - to endure some time without the desired draft or to say goodbye to your things? It is cheaper to just slightly open the window next to the driver, and put things so that it is not easy to reach them through the window.
"Phantom Pedestrian"
This scheme is mainly used on highways, in those places where there are uncontrolled pedestrian crossings. It involves two scam machines. Something like a plastic water bottle is thrown at the passing "victim" so that the throw cannot be seen.
After some time, the driver is caught up by the car, forcing him to stop and informing him that the “victim” hit a pedestrian at the crossing. The second car with "witnesses" is pulled up next.
How to protect yourself
If not, call the traffic police, and do it yourself. As a rule, after a call, scammers quickly and silently retreat.
Conclusion
There are so many fraud schemes that it is almost impossible to describe them all. This is what cybercriminals use. In order not to fall into their clutches, you should strictly follow the rules of the road, automobile and personal safety and “turn on your head” in time, not allowing someone to affect the nervous system.
