I should really be positive and upbeat as generally it’s been a good year for business.

But instead of saying what you already know, I’m going to get something off my chest that has bugged me for the past two years and there seems no let up.

In November 2012, having had my car for only two weeks, a lorry driver drove into the side of me at Junction 10 of the M20.

It was bad enough he took out the side of my new car but then he blamed me for driving into him. Despite my insurance company desperately trying to get me to settle knock for knock, I persisted and six months later, I got my day in court and justice was served.

The only thing injured here was my patience. So, day in court over, lorry driver found guilty, car fixed, I thought I could just forget the whole thing. How wrong I was.

For two years I have been plagued with endless calls from companies trying to get me to claim for injuries I never sustained. For some reason this year things have stepped up a level with calls each week.

And the most recent call just before Christmas hit a new high. I went through the usual procedure explaining I wasn’t injured, didn’t take time off work and the only thing that has suffered is my patience dealing with nonstop calls.

But this call was slightly different. She told me there was a cheque for a minimum of £1,800 waiting for me and, if I didn’t take it, the money would go back to the government.

Apparently there was no connection between my claim and insurance policies going up. I was entitled to it – it was compensation from the government. That’s what I pay my taxes for. Again stating I had no injury, she told me the seatbelt could have given me a soft tissue injury and it was probably so slight that I didn’t notice it. If I had self-medicated and taken painkillers for a few days, the money was mine.

I found myself considering giving in, knowing it would be fraudulent. Excited about the chance of a customer, and no doubt some commission, the caller told me she would pass my details onto a solicitor – I just needed to say I self-medicated and the money was mine.

Surely these people have hit a new low encouraging me knowing there was nothing wrong with me.

So with Christmas just days away and £1,800 calling out for me, do I stick to my principles and stay on the straight and narrow, or do I give in, put an end to the calls, and get the handbag of my dreams courtesy of the government?

Rant over. Here’s to a prosperous New Year.

PS. My advice is if you find yourself having accident that wasn’t your fault, settle the legitimate claim and then change your phone number.