I Did Not Allow My Car To Fixed By The Man In A Giant Red Truck Who Stopped Me In A Parking Lot

I have a small dent on the back of my car. The dent is the result of somebody who hit me while I was parked and away from my car. The person who hit my car forgot to leave a note. 

Today, I was in another parking lot here in Houston and two men in a giant red pickup truck pulled up as I was leaving my car. The man driving the truck spoke to me. I did not want to talk to this person, or to anybody at that moment, but such is life.

The man driving the truck said he owned a body shop that was underwater from Hurricane Ike. Sure. It’s “underwater” 12 days after the storm. Not even Galveston is still underwater. He said if I gave him 35 minutes and paid him $240 that he, and the silent man in the truck, would fix my dent. 

There is no way I would do this in any case, but in the context of the recent hurricane this is just what people have been warned about. Don’t do business with anybody who solicits you off the street or who just knocks on your door at home out of the blue.

This is the case for both car and home repairs.

I wanted to ask him if he would be declaring this money on his income tax and if he would just like to follow me to the ATM and take my money while waving a crowbar at my head. Or, rather, would it be be best if I were to simply give him my ATM card and password so he could get the money himself.

In terms of the tax issue, did not the man driving the truck realize that the Progressive Income Tax was one of the great political achievements of 20th Century America.

I told the guy no and he went away. I was glad he went away though I still regret I had to speak to him at all.  

Here is a list of ways to tell that a contractor is scamming you.

Here is some information about mobile body repair scams.

Here is information about scams in established body shops. 

Bottom line on car body work—Don’t allow your car to be damaged in any way.

People are out and about like vultures. They want to rip you off. Don’t be ripped off.

Here is information on vultures.