Possible Car related scam in ED

[Penguin68]

I found, last night, a carefully prepared note (in a plastic folder) on the windscreen of my (off street parked) car, offering to buy it and suggesting that ?the law? about uninsured cars had recently changed. The note implied that my car was uninsured. I knew that it wasn?t, and checked this morning on the government site to ensure that this wasn?t carrying false information (it wasn?t). I?m not sure I understand whether this is a scam, or if it is, what sort of scam it is, but is suspect it?s an attempt to scare people into parting with their cars at (what I would guess would be) well below market rates. Just a heads up in case anyone else receives such a note, or can shed any light on what this may be about. The ?illustrations? on the note showed low loaders taking away cars ? perhaps to suggest official seizure?

I don't think there is sufficient here to alert authorities, after all the note doesn't exactly say my car is uninsured, just suggests it through inference, and there is a contact number and name given which could presumably be traced, but I believe it's sufficiently strange to share on the forum.

[Sally Eva]

Was it on other cars?

[Sally Eva]

Might be worth a phone call or email to Trading Standards -- just to alert them. Presumably the leaflet has a mobile phone no or some way to contact them.

Cars parked off the road don't need to be insured as I understand it. Do you use your car or does it mostly rest there? There used to be a house near us with a charming old car on the driveway which never moved and I took it that it was not insured and therefore had to be off the road (I didn't offer to buy it)

[Penguin68]

Sally Eva - (1) I didn't check other cars - as mine was off road I didn't much want to go into others' properties to nose round their cars - certainly no street parked cars seemed to have such a notice (2) The car is used several times a week, but was parked up last week as I was away on holiday. Thanks about the Trading Standards suggestion.

Amended to add - nobody is answering any phone - Southwark Trading Standards off loads their problems to Citizens Advice (in Leeds!) - 101 plays telephone tag and then says it has no operators available. An issue such as this is left hanging in the wind. And, of course, it may not even be an issue, just a suspicion.

[ianr]

Just republish it here.