The police and insurance coverage consultants have warned the motoring public a few new type of crash for money rip-off spreading the nation.
The Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) and City of London Police Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED) have dubbed the brand new rip-off, ‘clip for money’.
Not like conventional crash for money scams the place fraudsters bump an already broken automobile into one other car and attempt to declare on insurance coverage, within the new ruse they accuse drivers of clipping their wing mirror.
They demand a money settlement for the injury and turn out to be threatening if cost isn’t forthcoming.
Greater than 40 clip for money incidents are being investigated however, because of an absence of public consciousness of the difficulty, police worry many circumstances could also be going unreported.
Clip for money “an growing risk for drivers”
Ursula Jallow, director at IFB, mentioned: “Clip for money is an growing risk to drivers.
“These fraudsters trick harmless motorists into considering they’ve prompted real injury after which apply stress ways to get victims at hand over money.”
Detective Inspector Philip Corcoran at IFED, mentioned: “Crash for money scams pose an actual security danger to the general public, so it’s regarding to see these fraudsters evolve their ways to focus on extra unsuspecting drivers.
“No one ought to stress you into handing over cash on the scene of a collision. In the event you suspect you’ve gotten fallen sufferer to this rip-off, report it to IFB Cheatline and to Action Fraud.”
Learn our weblog for recommendation on how to avoid falling victim to a motoring scam.
How does the rip-off work?
The con often takes place on a residential highway. Because the sufferer drives by, the fraudster is parked of their automobile on the left-hand aspect and throws an object resembling a big rock, along side the sufferer’s automobile to make an influence sound.
The startled driver is quickly flashed by the fraudster’s automobile to get them to cease, earlier than being accused of clipping their wing mirror (which has already been broken).
The fraudster calls for they hand over money immediately – in some circumstances as a lot as £200 – or pressures them into visiting a cashpoint. In some cases the place the sufferer has not agreed to handing over cash, the wrongdoer has turn out to be bodily intimidating.
The Authorities has already offered steering on what to do in the event of a road traffic accident.
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