Fraudsters have stepped up a gear when it comes to submitting dodgy motor insurance claims.
There were more than 9,400 reports of insurance fraud to the Insurance Fraud Bureau last year.
Knowing where scams frequently operate can help professional drivers avoid being caught up in a staged crash which can leave them out of pocket as well as affect their livelihood.
Major consequences
The IFB said: “Behind the figures are real people who suffer significantly. Insurance fraud can cause major distress and financial harm, from damaged credit scores to time spent trying to put things right.
“Many victims only realise they’ve been scammed weeks or months later, once the damage has already been done.”
Sky News has revealed that fraudsters are using new tactics as “crash for cash” scams increase.
New scams
The IFB said that while sudden braking to cause an innocent driver behind to collide remains one of the most common ploys, the specialist police unit is also seeing a spike in new trends with brazen tactics.
Innocent drivers have fallen victim to “roundabout traps”, in which scammers deliberately move into the wrong lane at busy roundabouts to cause a collision. The IFB says this particular fraud is common in Dagenham in east London.
Motorists have also fallen victim to “sideroad setups” in which they allow drivers to pull out of side roads and then drive into the side of them, especially near restaurants and nightlife areas in the West Midlands, particularly in Birmingham.
Two-wheel trouble
Greater London and the Home Counties have also seen an increasing number of scams involving mopeds and motorbikes, which are often driven into oncoming traffic to make victims liable.
The IFB has received reports of disabled brake lights used to cause crashes, as well as pre-existing damage being submitted in claims.
Passengers involved in the frauds also exaggerate injuries and already have prepared insurance details with them to hand over following a crash.
Identity theft
Identity theft is also being used to carry out fraudulent claims in the hope that insurers won’t see patterns or recognise the same names cropping up in different collisions.
The IFB warned that cases of identity theft have nearly doubled in the past two years.
The identities of new drivers have been stolen after people shared pictures of their driving theory test on social media, and fake job adverts requiring driving documents have been used to obtain details to make fraudulent claims.
Victims of crash-for-cash scams have also found that their details have been used fraudulently in separate claims.
Fraud hotspots
After analysing 3.3 million claims, the IFB has found Dagenham in London to be the most prevalent area for fraudulent car insurance claims in England, followed closely by Birmingham and Islington in north London.
Bradford, West Yorkshire, and Potters Bar in Hertfordshire also some of the highest number of claims in their areas.
Other top hotspots include Llanbadrig in Wales, Muthill in Scotland and Antrim in Northern Ireland.
Be vigilant
Jon Radford, head of intelligence, investigations and data services at the IFB, said: “By revealing the UK’s top motor insurance fraud hotspots, our aim is to help protect those who are at greater risk. Insurance scams can put people in danger and drive up costs for honest consumers, at a time when many are already under financial pressure.
“We’re working closely with the police and insurers to stop this activity, and we urge the public to stay alert and report suspected insurance fraud to our confidential CheatLine.”
Mark Allen, head of fraud and financial crime at the Association of British Insurers, said: “We urge the public to stay vigilant and report anything suspicious, because every report helps us protect communities and hold criminals to account.”
