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Old 19th July 2011, 14:33   #46
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Re: Beware! Innovative Mugging Experience

I have been a victim to this last year 12 october 2010. Its one long story, will put it up soon. It happened at khar and i lost my phone, license and cards.

BEST PART - I caught the same guy in Feb 2011 at Juhu chowpaty trying the stunt again with some other people, the thrashing he got he will never forget.

Note from the Team-BHP Support Team: Please take the time to use proper punctuation as per Team-BHP rules. Avoid...typing...like...this. Thanks.

Last edited by n_aditya : 19th July 2011 at 15:11.
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Old 19th July 2011, 14:36   #47
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Re: Beware! Innovative Mugging Experience

This is a normal thing all over Bombay region - happens in Dharavi-Mahim area, Sion-Chembur road, etc.
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Old 19th July 2011, 14:42   #48
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Re: Beware! Innovative Mugging Experience

Quote:
Originally Posted by nomadabhi View Post
I heard a continuous honking from a guy with pillion on Black RX100. Gave him side to overtake me. However, they came close to my left side and pillion wanted to convey something to me with his hands.

one of them came to me just to update me that there is smoke coming out of my car front.

Good that your presence of mind saved your day. However, if these guys were behind you, there is no chance that they could have seen the smoke any better than you. This itself should have triggered your sixth senses!


Regards,
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Old 19th July 2011, 14:52   #49
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Re: Beware! Innovative Mugging Experience

Quote:
Originally Posted by amohit View Post
Good that your presence of mind saved your day. However, if these guys were behind you, there is no chance that they could have seen the smoke any better than you. This itself should have triggered your sixth senses!


Regards,
I was in hurry to reach home so was overtaking alot of crowd, didnt know if I overtook them or not.
I dont know but hearing a fire under bonnet would put all senses to ashes .

Last edited by nomadabhi : 19th July 2011 at 15:17. Reason: Additional Info
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Old 19th July 2011, 15:04   #50
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Re: Beware! Innovative Mugging Experience

Thanks for the info. It is info like these that need to be shared on this forum for others to be cautioned against such low lives! Thanks again and safe motoring.
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Old 19th July 2011, 15:13   #51
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Re: Beware! Innovative Mugging Experience

One thing we have to keep in mind is at night and alone, better to save our yasses then our car. Keep driving if your car seems to be well, particulalry in the night or until you get into a crowded place.
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Old 4th December 2011, 02:57   #52
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re: Scam: "Engine mein spark hota hai..." DONT GET FOOLED

This con has returned to Mumbai again.

Just today morning at Andheri near JVLR my brother was attempted to be conned. Thanks to his call to our local mechanics that the con job was exposed and my brother saved from shelling out Rs. 4500/- (earlier quoted as Rs. 7800/-).

Need to get more car owner friends aware of this.
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Old 20th January 2012, 00:24   #53
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re: Scam: "Engine mein spark hota hai..." DONT GET FOOLED

This trick was tried on me a few months back under the Santa Cruz flyover on Western Express highway.

When I was waiting at the signal on my way back from office, a pedestrian told me that sparks are coming from the engine. I stopped a short distance away from the signal to check. He came up to me again and told me to start the engine while he checked under the bonnet. While I was starting the engine he had pulled out one of the spark plugs. When I came out to look he showed me the sparks from the plug. I could not see clearly at the time where the sparks were coming from. He then offered to get it repaired at a nearby workshop.

By this time I had become suspicious. I told him that will get it repaired myself somewhere else. He tried to scare me by saying that the car will catch fire, but I drove off. I stopped after driving for a kilometer and called up hvkumar for advice. He told me that this is a common scam. I checked the engine again, found the disconnected spark plug and fitted it back.

Now I decided to try to get him caught. I went back on the road to the Santa Cruz police station, which is close to the spot. When I told them the story, they wanted to know whether anything was stolen. I said that nothing was stolen, but I want to stop him from doing this to others. A constable came with me to look for him, but by then he had disappeared. The constable said that he will keep a lookout for this activity. I hope that he does get caught some day.
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Old 20th January 2012, 07:41   #54
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re: Scam: "Engine mein spark hota hai..." DONT GET FOOLED

Just came across this thread. Somehow was positive that such a thread already exists on TBHP.

A couple of months back, while joining JVLR at the Hiranandani Junction in Powai, saw a peculiar looking pedestrian standing in the middle of the road (he would have been on the divider if there would have been a divider). What struck me was the guy seemed like he did not have any intention of crossing the road. When my Alto (yes, these guys seem to like the Alto very much ) was just about to cross him, I saw him doing a exaggerated gesture of pointing to the front of the car. Instinctively, I ignored this guy (I have more faith in my own knowledge about cars than someone on the road). Just 100 meters away, I saw another guy standing in the middle of the road and again pointing to the front of my car. At this point, I was pretty sure that its a con. Did not pay any attention to the guys and drove on.

On a lighter note, these guys need some serious acting lessons to be slightly more convincing.
The 'exaggerated' gesture I mentioned was actually similar to a 'aadab' (salute) done by guards to a king. His face was also very calm, with no sign of he witnessing something seriously wrong with the car that he is trying to stop.

Last edited by SDP : 20th January 2012 at 07:43.
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Old 1st February 2012, 16:07   #55
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re: Scam: "Engine mein spark hota hai..." DONT GET FOOLED

Today, while going to Pune, saw a guy standing on the divider and pointing at my car's front. God knows why these guys like the Alto. I looked at him and gave a dirty look. He still kept on pointing.

I did not stop, kept driving, lowered the window-glass and gave him a finger. Hope he knows what the gesture means.

Last edited by SDP : 1st February 2012 at 16:08.
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Old 5th March 2013, 23:49   #56
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re: Scam: "Engine mein spark hota hai..." DONT GET FOOLED

Couple of smart fellows tried this trick on me today, on the JVLR just before L&T. I stopped and came out of the car, and he pointed at the radiator, saying he could see sparks coming from there. I open the bonnet, he says careful sparks will fly on my face and hands. Okay!. Anyways, I open the bonnet and ask him again where he saw the sparks coming from. Now this guy points at a wire near the throttle body, saying the wire is loose and he can see sparks, produces a screwdriver and a pair of spanners out of thin air, and tries to loosen a wire connector. I stop him angrily, telling him I want to see the sparks. I put my hand in through the open window, at the same time looking at the wire, and start the car, No sparks. Now he says no sparks because he just tightened the loose wire. Right!.I show him the sticker on my car, tell him "Jo gaadi pe ye sticker hai na, uske saath naatak nahi karneka", close the bonnet, get in the car and drive off.

It's funny how this thread was highlighted in the Common Scams thread today itself, where I read it and was extra cautios. Thanks Team-BHP.

And no, I don't have an Alto, I have a Swift. Seems like these guys have moved up in life.
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Old 6th March 2013, 10:11   #57
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re: Scam: "Engine mein spark hota hai..." DONT GET FOOLED

Even going by this thread alone, this trick is nearly 6 yrs, and I am suprised it still works!!

On a diff note, 2 months back, I was waiting at the sholinganallur signal, and noticed the bonnet open on the adjacent car. I honked and showed him the bonnet. The driver stepped out and closed it. But just wondering had it been anyone who read this thread, I am sure they would have thought that this trick has also reached chennai in Grand Style!! :o)
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Old 11th March 2013, 12:19   #58
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re: Scam: "Engine mein spark hota hai..." DONT GET FOOLED

Two variations of this scam were common about 6-7 years back - one was where 2-3 people pointed at your engine and distracted you while you checked the engine while your laptop/phone/valuables were stolen from the car - happened to my wife's colleague. The second was where a conveniently placed mechanic helped you get rid of the "sparking" problem also relieving you of 5 K of hard earned cash - a colleague was scammed this way. It almost happened to me at a signal near Mahim around the same time and since I'd just heard about the above two instances, I just rolled the window down and laughed at them before driving off.

Unfortunately the media has not publicized it much and it continues even now. About 6 months back, a colleague was driving on Thane Belapur road and was stopped by a biker and told about sparks from the engine. He kept a calm head and locked his car before checking the problem. However, the crooks had opened the bonnet and had removed some part before he could see what was wrong so the car wouldn't start. He smelled a rat and called up a service station who sent a mechanic. Bottomline, 700 bucks to tow the car and replace the stolen part and labour! So I guess, keeping your wits about will help, to some extent.
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Old 1st January 2014, 01:20   #59
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I so wish i'd have checked this thread earlier. Well this happened with me as well at SV road, Bandra, around 3 months ago. I was driving with a friend with me. Suddenly i realized 2 guys staring at the front of my car. I ignored it assuming that they must be checking the TBHP sticker on the front bumper. After 5 minutes, i saw another young guy checking out the cars front. Me and my friend both thought that there was surely something wrong. I parked the car immediately and asked the guy what was he staring at. He used excatly the same words " sir spark nikal raha hai grill se" . I was totally shocked as my car was just a month old. I asked him if there is a mechanic nearby. He took me with him and called a guy( there was no garage there). The guy came and did something in the engine bay. I couldnt even see what was he doing. But it did not take him too long. Just 5 minutes and he said its done sir. But here the surprising part is that he just asked for 50 rupees ! I still gave him 100 rupees as i did not know about all this and just thanked my stars. As i was really super scared when i heard about the sparks that too in a month old car !
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Old 1st January 2014, 18:10   #60
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re: Scam: "Engine mein spark hota hai..." DONT GET FOOLED

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rohitj92 View Post
But here the surprising part is that he just asked for 50 rupees ! I still gave him 100 rupees as i did not know about all this and just thanked my stars. As i was really super scared when i heard about the sparks that too in a month old car !
I hope you did not lose any valuables. Their main idea is to distract the driver, so that they can flick his/ her belongings while their attention is diverted.

The same trick was attempted on me too at Gorguntepalya signal just after Yeshwanthpur, Bangalore a few months back. "There is smoke coming out of the bonnet saar". The appearance of the man who said this made me skeptical. He basically looked like a beggar and was on foot. So I did not step out.
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