[speedmiester]

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

Please do.



If you have ffmpeg (or a similar application) on a computer, you can extract video only from a file. The audio will be blank.

I am sharing the screenshot here, but no video as it doesn't make any sense to share the video with the audio removed.

[bigron]

@Ajmat - For my own 'good' I would not want my dashcam to record whats happening inside the car. I am sure you know what I mean.
But with the whole dash-cam accessibility now, traveling surely has become a little safer with the availability of instant evidence.

[rav11stars]

Originally Posted by speedmiester

This also holds good to company, club stickers as well.

The only sticker that might matter is team-bhp. Once a bhpian identifies the conman and moves on, they'll look back at the car in disappointment, see the tbhp sticker and exclaim "oh, not a bhpian again"

The word will spread to other conmen that cars with these stickers are up to date on our plans and can't be conned.

Talking of Bangalore and cons and going a bit off-topic, I recollected an incident that happened in 2007 right after college. I came to Bangalore for some urgent work and was planning to return back the same day. I approached a private travel agency in Majestic for a ticket to Vijayawada. He said there are seats available and I asked for a front row seat. He gave me seat number 1. I paid the amount and left to return in the evening for the journey.

I came in the evening and found some more passengers waiting. The agent took all of us in a small bus to some other road and "handed over" us to the travel agent there. I began to sense trouble when the bus that was supposed to arrive at 2130 didn't even arrive till midnight. I noticed another guy standing and found that he's also waiting to go to Vijayawada. I looked at his ticket and he also has seat no 1.

We questioned the agent and he went back on the offensive claiming we did not even book the ticket with him and that he'll try to adjust us somewhere. At around 0300 in the morning a bus arrived and he said "this is the last bus. It'll take you till Tirupati." With no other option left I boarded it. I narrated my ordeal with the driver and the assistant and they laughed off saying "This is common here. There's nothing you can do". Seeing my sad face his assistant said "I'll get down at Nellore. You come with me, I'll make sure you catch a train to Vijayawada".

It hurt and being the sensitive type that I am, I couldn't get it off my mind for quite some time. But there are no negative and positive events. There are only experiences.

Lesson: No matter how educated you are, you can still be conned.

[AmazeGuru]

Dear God, what a coincidence!! The exact same person tried to do exact same thing to me at the KR Circle signal couple of months ago! That time, he looked at the company sticker on my windshield and asked if I am from xxxxx company and tried to strike a conversation. I did however tried to speak to him initially and very soon realized something is fishy and closed the window, and the signal turned green to my luck.

While I agree with everyone here to not allow any stranger in the car under any circumstances, few things to follow when you drive:

1. A lot of car these days come with auto locking mechanism (mine doesn't unfortunately). Make sure you lock your doors as soon as you start the car, you never know who may barge into your car and what situation you may get into.

2. Never ever roll your windows down (I did that mistake, but thankfully nothing happened). These guys may grab anything kept in the close vicinity if they sense you are not opening the door.

Drive safe guys and more importantly keep vigil at all the time.

[saratjyo]

I have experienced the same type of situation twice.

1. The day I was about to travel to Hyderabad and I reached the Central station to board the train. Since I reached early there was no one on the train and a middle aged person came to me and pleaded that he lost his mobile and wallet in the public restroom of the station while taking bath and couldn't return to his hometown and need money to buy the ticket for the same. But I simply ignored him because, if his reason were true, he should have been in contact with the railway police and there are numerous people in the waiting area to ask for help. This happened around 4years ago.

2. Once I finished filling up fuel for my bike in a BP bunk in Annanagar and came out of the station, suddenly a middle aged men stopped the bike and said the same lost mobile and wallet story and asked for some help for the same with money to get to his hometown. I asked him to sit on the bike so that I will take him to the nearby police station and the police will help in getting him back to his hometown. But he immediately started moving away. Then again I called him back and warned him that I will be returning back to this place in the next 15 mins and if I see him again, there will be a police along with me. Immediately he left the place. This happened a couple of years back.

[susheel_kainat]

My two experience (though not in car) as I believe these guys avoid vehicles having dashcam:
1. 10 years back as I was waiting to board a bus after giving my bike fro service (nearby Dell Bus Stop Inner ring road), a guy came to me and said Bangalore is full of thieves. He came in an auto and after coming out of auto he paid the amount and soon the auto-wala started and went away with his bag in the rear seat. He had his phone, wallet etc in that and now he is stranded and doesn't know what to do. He wants to goto some place in electronic city and doesn't have money. Then he asked, can I help him by lending some 300 rs and promised to pay me back and he asked me to provide my address or bank details for the same. Luckily I had only 20 rs cash with me. I said I have only this much and can pay for your ticket till Koramangala Sony World Signal while I will get down one stop before. That time I felt like I really helped someone.

2. On the very same day I collected the bike from Tristar TVS SVC center and went to buy some stuffs from Viveknagar. This time an old man in his 60's who speaks good english came with same story of loosing the wallet and phone and doesn't know how to go back. He somehow reached Viveknagar but he needs to reach the same place (sorry I don't remember the place name) in electronic city. This same kind scenario plus the place they intend to go made me feel fishy. Till then, I didn't feel the morning fiasco was a part of scam. Anyway this time I asked him more details like I can call his son and so and so, but he said he doesn't remember number. I could see his reluctance in providing more details even though he needs the same 300 rs. I said there is a police station nearby and I'm sure they can help you. I told I can drop you there. He didn't wait to reply and walked away, probably searching for another person.

Felts angry and sad to see such senior citizens also involved in this big scam. I would say this like the new age beggar trafficking. Most of the beggars are all working for some hawala network as we have seen in many movies. The same applies here. If you see all these guys are well-dressed, talks good and I'm sure the market is good for them as they continue to find new ways of story telling and keep cheating people.

I feel the best solution for all these things is to either avoid them completely or don't offer money but point out the nearest police station where they can seek help. Maybe doing so we might reject help to the real ones, but its still better than taking any risk.

I avoid giving any lift in bike or car even to Kids, by politely pointing out going in another direction.

[mohansrides]

Originally Posted by rav11stars

The only sticker that might matter is team-bhp. Once a bhpian identifies the conman and moves on, they'll look back at the car in disappointment, see the tbhp sticker and exclaim "oh, not a bhpian again"

The word will spread to other conmen that cars with these stickers are up to date on our plans and can't be conned..

Don't count on it. Team BHP stickers are no silver bullets. They can be weaponized in a con just like stickers showing other affiliations. In fact it is even easier to use a Team BHP sticker to appeal to the mark. All the conman has to say is that he or she is a BHPian and that his or her screen name is such and such. The mark would have no way of of verifying that statement. Afterall who knows everyone's real names and identities here?

Also, there is another way to work such a con. Let us remember that purchase of Team BHP merchandise is not restricted just to members. Anyone can buy the sticker and put it on their "work car" or "work bike" (this is actually what fraudsters and con artists call their vehicles that are used for pulling jobs). Then said vehicle could be used as a prop to stop another passer-by with the same sticker. That's when the con actually unfolds. This method means that the fraudster/s have cased the mark previously and understood that he/she is a BHPian.

Incidentally, this con works less effectively with housing society or work stickers; because they are harder to come by. You have to be an employee or a society member before those are dispensed to you. Of course, anything can be faked.

I never put any stickers on my car. I have a running disagreement with my society about this. It is a minor inconvenience to fetch the sticker from the glove compartment to show to the security guard. But really it's no problem at all.

[ant_vas]

Thankfully i never had to encounter such people while driving in bangalore for over a decade. But i can recollect a similar incident that happened with me back in 2004.

I had quit my first job in jabalpur and was doing a course in Domlur. Used to take bus from dimlur to BTM after the classes at around noon time. One day while walking to the bus stop with my friend and elderly person stopped me just after the shantisagar singal.

He informed me that he is from Kerala and came to satya sai hospital in white field in the morning at 4 AM for treatment. But when he went to sleep someone took his 2nd bag (he had a backpack) which contained all his money for treatment. Now he is stuck in bangalore and asked me to lend him 300 rupees (surprise surprise) so that he can go back to his hometown in kerala!

Since i wasn't working that time, i barely had cash on me and even though this guy sounded genuine and the way he spoke made me feel that he really was in trouble, the BS warning in my head was going full throttle. I offered him 10 bucks (yes BMTC rates were cheap that time) to go to majestic and then take someone elses help to go back to his hometown. He kept insisting that he only needs 300 and he will send it back via money order once he reaches his home.

Finally after try for few minutes he did accept the 10 bucks from me. Couple of days later i was walking to the bus station but this time i was on the service road and saw this same person giving the same story to someone else.

From that day i somehow don't feel like helping anyone on the road regardless of their situation.

[low_rider]

Here in Delhi/NCR, the same trick of losing the wallet and requesting for money to go home by various couples with a small child and a travelling bag with them. I have encountered 3~4 different couples over past few years. Mostly they are Marathis (Have heard them talking in marathi with each other), but their modus operandi is the same.

[Rehaan]

Originally Posted by speedmiester

could he borrow Rs 300 to get his car back

Originally Posted by Acharya

He asked me for 300 rs saying he lost his mobile & wallet

Originally Posted by Nibir Mudai

took his number and handed over Rs 300/-.

Originally Posted by susheel_kainat

can I help him by lending some 300 rs

Originally Posted by susheel_kainat

I could see his reluctance in providing more details even though he needs the same 300 rs.

Originally Posted by ant_vas

He kept insisting that he only needs 300 and he will send it back

Is anyone else seeing a pattern here?

Maybe these guys are privy to some research that says Rs. 300 is the sweet-spot for the amount of cash a person is willing to give a stranger.

On the other hand, if someone ever asks you for Rs. 300 - run!

[KGS]

Not only in India, similar practice in being followed all over the world.

Once when I was in UK, coming out of a restaurant with my family and friends, a lady comes to me to ask for help. Her story was :
"She lost her baggage and wallet, she is having no money and it being so late there is no train for her to go back home, so she needs money to have some food and arrange for a hotel to stay".

When I suggested her the way to nearest Police station, which was just 100 meters away, with tear in her eyes she cursed everyone.

In her words " no one understands my pain, I am going".

Next day when I was strolling on the same road again, I saw the same lady after having some generous puffs of cigarette , trying to pull the same stunt with another fella.

God save the world.

[LazyGunner]

Originally Posted by speedmiester

I try to reduce any sort of identification stickers which might help such conmen, but apartment sticker is mandatory in cars.
This also holds good to company, club stickers as well.
Better be careful and avoid any conversation with strangers.

Originally Posted by procrj

Paranoid much - sign of the times we live in.

Originally Posted by Yieldway17

This is why I’m strictly against pasting any kind of apartment or workplace stickers on my car or motorcycle.

Originally Posted by mohansrides

I never put any stickers on my car. I have a running disagreement with my society about this. It is a minor inconvenience to fetch the sticker from the glove compartment to show to the security guard. But really it's no problem at all.

Wow!! I thought only I was paranoid about having apartment/office sticker on my motorcycles and car. Really glad to see I'm not alone and special thanks to speedmiester for opening this thread. Now I have something to shove in the face of people who argue that apartment/office stiker is mandatory.
The guard at the entrance gate knows me by face both at apartment and office(also validated by mandatory ID card display). It's none of his business to know if I come by my own vehicle or somebody else's. Whatever may be their reasons, I'm not comfortable advertising to the whole world where do I live and work - as simple as that.

I also don't give lifts to strangers - no exceptions to even kids in school uniform. Although I used to politely point towards the immediate next cross, I simply ignore them now.

[McLaren Roxx]

Originally Posted by speedmiester

I am sharing the screenshot here, but no video as it doesn't make any sense to share the video with the audio removed.

Originally Posted by AmazeGuru

Dear God, what a coincidence!! The exact same person tried to do exact same thing to me at the KR Circle signal couple of months ago!

Is it possible for you both to lodge a formal police complaint? I mean, you have the audio-video evidence & each other to back the story. It will definitely keep others from getting conned if the person gets caught.

[puneetakhouri]

Something similar happened to me around the demonetisation time in Mumbai. I was headed to my office in Goregaon via Sion.

At the Sion signal, a woman got down from a Qualis beside me and came towards my passenger side window and asked me to open the door and tried to open the door. I lowered the window slightly, since my car has door visors so effective area for her to put her hand inside my car was further lowered. She was in a dishevelled state wearing a torn nighty.

She said I need to go there (pointing ahead) and I do not have money please open the door. I asked here where do you want to go, she pointed straight ahead. I said I am turning right and she was like, yeah I need to go right too.
I thought this to be fishy and luckily the signal turned green and she rushed towards the corner. Meanwhile I could see the Qualis from which she got down, and other drivers staring at me thinking of my next move . A good learning it was.

[Oxy]

Originally Posted by ajmat

My dashcam also records the passengers, I would look forward to calling her bluff if this would happen!

Can you share the product details please? Would be really helpful.