Members are recommended to make their customers aware of a new type of ‘crash for cash’ scam. The activity involves mopeds being deliberately driven at oncoming traffic, which is spreading in London and could start happening in other parts of the county.
An investigation led by the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB), City of London Police’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED), and several insurers, has found around 2,250 people in London have been victim of the scam in the past two years.
Many of the suspected fraudsters are believed to be couriers delivering items such as take-aways and are mainly targeting drivers in North London’s most affluent areas.
This activity differs from traditional crash for cash scams, where fraudsters slam on their car’s brake so the victim behind can’t stop in time. Instead, the offender hides out of sight in a side road or parking space, before driving into the victim as they head towards them. They usually throw their moped to the ground and drop to the floor to act out an injury, before taking photos of the incident.
The fraudster sometimes has an accomplice to act as a witness and help facilitate the fraud. There have also been reports of the accomplice using a van to help obscure the victim’s view before the moped drives into them, making the scam easier to carry out.
Anyone who has fallen foul of this scam can report it to CheatLine online or via 0800 422 0421.
