A Cautionary Tale

I was scammed May 11 at the Von’s Gas Station on Ximeno and Los Coyotes Diagonal. When I left the station I passed a large black van.  I was surprised when the van driver honked at me. But I went on my way and stopped at a store across the street.

Later when the same van pulled up alongside of me and the driver asked if I was OK and told me that I had hit his vehicle in the gas station, I was shocked. I vehemently denied this and agreed to park in a nearby parking lot to assess the damage. When I parked immediately a young man got out of the van went to the rear of my car with some sort of a comb and raked my rear fender.

When I exited my car both men in the other car exited and asked if I was OK and told me I was such a nice grandma and they just wanted to check on my welfare, since I had hit their van and they did not want anything. I consistently denied that I had hit their vehicle.

After many repeats of the above conversation, they hinted that $100 would take care of the problem. I told them I had no money and asked for their address. The above conversation was again repeated several times; I was then asked for a check or ATM. I told them I did not have them. Finally they agreed to give me their first name and cell number and told me to text them and they would give me their address; they left.

I called the police but since I was not harmed physically or monetarily a report was not taken. In retrospect I know there were many things that I should have done. I was monetarily harmed, the scratches on my new car can’t be rubbed out. I am writing this to make others aware that this can happen anywhere and to anyone.

[Editor’s Note: Columnist Stephen Downing is currently attempting to learn from the LBPD why a police report was not taken in this matter and has thus far been stonewalled. A column on this matter will follow in our next issue.]