Car Remote Code Scanning

Tropheus

Got this mail in work today from "a friend of a friend". I thought this wasn't possible anymore with the more modern security systems on cars? I also question why the thieves would continuously open the car when the owner was in earshot.

Just sending this forward for your interest.

"I locked my car in the Liffey Valley car park a few weeks ago and as I walked away I heard my car door unlock.

I went back and locked my car again three times.

Each time, as soon as I started to walk away, I could hear it unlock
again!!Naturally alarmed, I looked around and there were two men sitting in a car close by and they were looking at me and smiling and watching me intently, and there seemed no doubt they were somehow involved in this very weird situation.

I quickly abandoned my errand, got into my car and drove away. I was going tore-park but I decided to go to Ronanstown Garda station which is only 5 minutes away and report my experience. I told them what had happened, and found out I was part of a new, and very successful, scheme being used to gain entry into parked cars.

Last week a friend of mine had a similar experience in a car park in the
city centre.

When he returned to his car someone had managed to get into his car and had stolen his mobile phone, laptop computer, sat-nav, briefcase and other
belongings.

He called the Gardai and since there were no signs of his car having been
broken into, the Gardai told him he had probably been a victim of the latest
robbery tactic – there is a device that robbers are using now to clone your
securitycode when you lock your doors on your car using your remote locking device.

They sit a distance away and watch for their next victim. They know you are
going shopping or to a restaurant, or whatever and that they now have a few minutes to steal and run.

The Garda said always lock your car manually with the key when parking in a public area. That way if there is someone sitting in a car nearby watching for their next victim, it will not be you. A friend of mine who works in a
garage confirmed that when you lock up with the key upon exiting, it does not send the security code, but if you walk away and use the remote button, it sends the code through the airwaves where it can be easily intercepted by the device.

This is very real. so be aware of what you just read and please pass
this information on.

Look how many times we all lock our doors with our remote just to be sure
we remembered to lock them -- and bingo, someone has our code...and
potentially whatever is in our car."

Pleases share with everyone you know in the hope that we can frustrate these thieves.

Corkbah

just shows how clever the criminal mind is .... or how poor designers/manufacturers think about their product.

sept09baby

Just another hoax. Techinically possible for cars built before the 1990s but highly unlikely. Snopes article with more details - http://www.snopes.com/autos/techno/lockcode.asp

The same story (the the words Liffey Valley, Gardai changed) has been circulating for years:

Pakistan 2011 - http://www.pkhope.com/spectrum-analyzer-car-lock-in-pakistan/

USA - 2010 http://www.datehookup.com/Thread-569547.htm

keithclancy

When he returned to his car someone had managed to get into his car and had stolen his mobile phone, laptop computer, sat-nav, briefcase and other
belongings.

What kind of f&cking moron leaves all that in his car.

Why didn't he leave his passport and some money + plus a thank you for robbing from me card while he was at it.

Looks like a spoof to me.

seamus

If two criminals were planning on remote opening a car and stealing the contents, then why would they do it when the owner is in earshot and then grin like idiots when spotted?