Beware of crash for cash
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FRAUD EXPERTS are warning hauliers to remain vigilant of attempts by criminals to stage accidents with LGVs, after a report found that one in seven injury claims are linked to crash-for-cash scams. Despite the risks involved, fraudsters are targeting LGVs to deliberately collide with to make false claims for injury and damage.
Ben Fletcher, head of operations at the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB), said: “LGVs are certainly not immune from crash for cash. Fraudsters looking to induce accidents will target vehicles based on a number of factors – an important one being they are looking for vehicles that are likely to be insured. This can make commercial and liveried vehicles prone to such scams.” Fletcher said IFB investigations have exposed examples of LGVs being targeted in induced accidents across the UK. “Another reason for LGVs being attractive targets is that if the fraudsters go on and make false or inflated claims for injury and damage to their cars, if they have collided with a vehicle the size of an LGV, it makes their story more plausible,” he said.
Fletcher’s comments come as a report by the IFB, released today, showed almost 15% of personal injury claims can be linked to crash-for-cash scams. The IFB said it is co-ordinating 40 police operations across the UK, all related to crash-for-cash scams.