And we were shocked to see them in major media outlets!

It is also not the first time that we have reported on the method of placing the banknote under a windshield wiper. Based on this example, you can clearly see that the Internet really doesn't forget anything AND that this legend is always unpacked at the start of the vacation!

Let's first look at the current publications: A few days ago (July 9, 2018) Pro7 Galileo published a warning video warning about the 50 method on the windshield wiper, which is said to be a "new method" that thieves use to steal cars stealing from gas stations. And, what can we say, this clip and the warning in the clip sound exactly like the urban legend that Snopes was able to declare as fake back in 2012 and that we had to repeatedly declare as fake in the following years:

It's a new, dangerous scam! The plan is very simple: you only see the ticket when you are about to pull out of the parking space. The engine is running, you see the bill, you get out and get it. Just then, someone jumps into your car and steals it. (and if you cause trouble, something worse might happen!) That's what almost happened to Kyri Viehman. She parked her car and went shopping. When she came back she found the note! He wasn't even real.

Screenshot: Mimikama, taken at prosieben.at
Screenshot: Mimikama, taken at prosieben.at

What is presented as a €50 bill in Europe is a €100 bill in the US version of the fake. Snopes even refers to a report from 2004.

The Focus

This video has now been uncritically adopted by Focus through a media library embedding (Glomex) and published online on Focus.de . Here you can read the warning without thinking, as we have known it for many years from the existing fake:

If you spot a 50 euro bill on your windshield, it's better to leave it hanging.
The banknote is a popular diversionary tactic for car thieves. You can see in the video how con artists distract their victims while stealing a car.
So if you find a banknote on your car, it's best to stay away from it.

Evidence such as police reports or at least plausible and trustworthy reports from those affected cannot be found in the Galileo clip or the Focus publication.

Ergo: in the clip and the reporting, the old urban legend of the banknote on the windshield wiper is presented 1:1. This legend has been known since 2004 and is spread on social media almost every year WITHOUT evidence.

Carjacking fakes

Ultimately, the 50 (either on the rear or front windshield wiper) is a hoax in the “carjacking fakes” category. There are a variety of descriptions here that supposedly represent common and dangerous methods used by car thieves. Of course, at this point we cannot rule out whether someone somewhere in the world has fallen victim to one of these methods at some point, but we do know that all of these carjacking fakes arise from urban legends and are spread online without any evidence.

We have already examined several of these car jacking fakes and were able to show in self-tests that they cannot work:

Annoying

Every year these warnings about banknotes, pieces of paper or similar objects on the car appear again. Confirmed cases are never provided, instead scare stories that lead to uncertainty.

What's even more dangerous, however, is that constant repetition can ultimately lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy, meaning that people might actually feel inspired and imitate these methods. Therefore, all that remains to be said in this unpleasant situation is that you should ALWAYS take the ignition key with you when leaving the vehicle and secure valuables .

In addition, in places where you don't want to leave the car, just don't leave the car. It doesn't matter whether a whole wad of banknotes or half a jewelry store would be attached to the windshield wiper.


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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )