Seriously, BUY a Dashcam

"GeorgeyBoy" (georgeyboy)
07/28/2014 at 15:49 • Filed to: None

My mom was targeted by a scam a few days ago.

(Disclosure: I wasn't there and am telling this story identically how my mom told me.)

It all started at 8am, my mom left early for an 8:30 appointment. Pulling off her street onto a 4 lane road, it spits into a divided 4 lane road with a median about 200 yards down from our street. There was no one on the road but a "black Pontiac" sitting in the turnaround of the median.

He pulled out directly behind her and started tailgating, he eventually started flashing his brights to get my mother to pull over. (Short story on my mother, she's a nervous wreck. Honks at leaves, drives five under, typical nervous driver.) She sees him, a black male overweight about in his 40's. My mom of course panics, because that's how she is. She continues driving about the speed limit for a good 2 miles.

This man becomes angry because I'm sure anyone would at least pull over except my mom. He then pulls up beside her, my mom cracks the window and hears him scream "you hit someone back there, pull over".

My mom ignores him, and continues to drive while calling me 12 times.. I was at work and never saw. She got ahold of my dad who told her to call 911. She does. Tells the operator that a man is chasing her. Operator says a man just called in a red SUV that hit a bicyclist. Operator says to pull over now.

My mom being a stubborn nervous wreck doesn't and keeps driving to the next town over, the man eventually stops following her. Sheriffs catch up to her and finally get her to stop.

I guess the sheriff was extremely nice, did a walk around the car and says there is no way you hit anyone. The fire department and emt responded to the area and couldn't find anyone. They even searched a 5 mile area and couldn't find anyone on a bike or witnesses.

The man that followed her called in on a burn phone and couldn't be found. Officer said it sounds like a scam that's been happening recently.

Just bought a dash cam for her. Hopefully she'll never have to use it but at least nothing bad happened this time around, probably due to her stubborness.

DISCUSSION (23)

RazoE > GeorgeyBoy
07/28/2014 at 15:53

Holy crap, glad to hear she's fine. I'm going to get a dash cam as soon as I can.

ttyymmnn > GeorgeyBoy
07/28/2014 at 15:53

It's good that she didn't stop. The 911 operator told her to pull over for some dude in a black Pontiac? F**k that. I'll pull over for a peace officer, but nobody else. Or, if in a similar situation, you do decide to stop, do so in a public place like a convenience store.

$kaycog > GeorgeyBoy
07/28/2014 at 15:58

That's scary! So glad it ended well.

GeorgeyBoy > ttyymmnn
07/28/2014 at 15:59

This is what angered me and my dad the most. It eventually turned into a 2 lane rural highway that she was on at the time. She said she felt like she was under arrest talking to the operator. I'm sure her nervousness didn't help things.

BrtStlnd > GeorgeyBoy
07/28/2014 at 15:59

... and she woke up in a bathtub full of ice with a note telling her to call 911 because they stole her kidneys.

BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion > GeorgeyBoy
07/28/2014 at 16:00

Shit man, the US is becoming more and more like here... And that's not a good thing.

cabarne4 > GeorgeyBoy
07/28/2014 at 16:05

Crazy. Kind of wondering, though, what the end result of the scam is?

Get mom to pull over, then rob or car jack?

I would've called the cops and reported an erratic / possibly drunk driver. Mention road rage / aggressive driving, and tell the operator you do not feel safe stopping unless an officer is present. (I've actually done this before). They're usually pretty quick to intercept.

WhiskeyGolf > GeorgeyBoy
07/28/2014 at 16:15

What's the guy's play? Does he pull over drivers and overpower them to steal vehicle contents?

Stang70Fastback > BrtStlnd
07/28/2014 at 16:49

CHAARRLLLIIIEEEEEEEE

webmonkees > GeorgeyBoy
07/28/2014 at 17:01

plus you can make art with interesting footage or angles. In my case a crapload of $10 fisheye spycams at experimental angles. Oh, and in case of maniac/idiot.

ttyymmnn > WhiskeyGolf
07/28/2014 at 17:11

Insurance fraud?

ttyymmnn > GeorgeyBoy
07/28/2014 at 17:27

Don't be angry at your mom. I'm sure she's upset enough about it. Be angry at the shysters, which I'm sure you are.

GeorgeyBoy > cabarne4
07/28/2014 at 18:03

From the scams that have happened in my town:

Usually working in pairs they say you hit me etc. Friend is the witness, give me $X amount and I won't get the cops involved.

Purposely hurt selves, jump in front of car get insurance money.

I'm not all too sure what this one was about. Could've had a friend act like he was hurt on a bike, ask for money. Or call cops and sue/insurance money. I think the scam went south when my mom refused to pull over, probably got pissed and called 911. Maybe lost the upper hand just decided to quit. Could've robbed her too, I'm sure it would be easy to get someone out of the car grab purse and drive off.

Scary world.

GeorgeyBoy > ttyymmnn
07/28/2014 at 18:05

I meant angry at the 911 operator. She handled things very poorly. I'm sure it sounded like my mom was the bad guy to her.

GeorgeyBoy > WhiskeyGolf
07/28/2014 at 18:07

Sounds like they usually work in pairs. Use calling the cops as leverage for money. Or just fake an injury. Not sure what would've played out had my mom stopped. Probably some guy would've come out of no where acting like he was hurt.

DipodomysDeserti > GeorgeyBoy
07/28/2014 at 19:17

Sounds like he was trying to carjack your mom.

cabarne4 > GeorgeyBoy
07/28/2014 at 20:01

Yeah that's crazy!

deekster_caddy > GeorgeyBoy
07/28/2014 at 22:19

curious where you are? (You don't need to be exact)

Buick Mackane > GeorgeyBoy
07/28/2014 at 23:08

What model dash cam did you buy? On Ebay they will range from $20.00 and up. There is a guy on Youtube that does very excellent reviews on dash cams, check him out, his user name is Techmoan.

GeorgeyBoy > Buick Mackane
07/29/2014 at 00:29

My G1W has worked great in my car so I ordered another.

GeorgeyBoy > deekster_caddy
07/29/2014 at 00:30

In between Detroit and Toledo, bad heroin problems here.

Buick Mackane > GeorgeyBoy
07/29/2014 at 02:12

I think the day will come, soon, that all car will have the option of front and rear facing (and maybe inside the cabin) integral cameras that we can turn on when we need it. But more than likely, the government will mandate that these cameras must run constantly whenever the ignition is on.

GeorgeyBoy > Buick Mackane
07/29/2014 at 02:23

I doubt the gov would mandate the use of cameras, hard data recording is what I would be most worried about. Something like 90% of new cars have sophisticated "black boxes" probably soon to be mandated on every new car. Lots of gray area there on how it can be used.

Probably only a matter of time before 3rd party companies start getting their hands on your cars location, patterns, etc. Especially with cars now that are connected to the internet.