Crash for cash scams

Crash for cash on the rise

Recent analysis by the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) has identified a rise in crash for cash moped scams, which involves fraudsters causing deliberate collisions to make bogus insurance claims and steal personal information.

The fraud scheme has impacted over 4,700 innocent members of the public, having a devastating impact, and is now being further investigated by the IFB and City of London Police’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED).

The scam has been most commonly reported across London and in parts of Essex and Hertfordshire, however it could be taking place anywhere in the UK. Many of the victims are women who are driving alone or with children, and elderly road users. As a result, the IFB is urging the public and enforcement officials, including police officers, to be vigilant.

As the majority of moped scammers are strongly believed to be driving with fraudulent motor insurance, and are therefore uninsured, it makes tackling the issue even more important.

Identifying crash for cash moped scammers 

To help you take action, the IFB team is sharing vital insights. Please note, the below points are for police reference only. 

• The moped scammer is often a courier (food delivery) driver.

• They hide behind a parked vehicle or in a side road before driving into oncoming traffic.

• They may have an accomplice who will ‘circle’ an area looking for opportunities to target a road user. This ‘spotter’ may be using a Bluetooth headset to advise when the moped driver should pull out from behind a vehicle, or side road, to crash into a victim.

• The scams take place in both residential areas and busy high streets, and will see victims being targeted when stationary at a road junction or when they're about to turn.

• More incidents are taking place Tuesday to Friday between 2pm-6pm, during school and working rush hour periods.

• Many of the victims are women and elderly people.

• A high proportion of suspects are of Brazilian or Portuguese nationality.

• There is often no damage to the moped, which will ride off following the incident, yet a claim is subsequently made for damage and a replacement hire vehicle.

• They will likely be using a fraudulent motor insurance policy, known as a ghost broking policy, using stolen information.

• New tactic: The latest MO has seen a rise in moped scammers pressuring victims into showing copies of insurance certificates and driving licences, which is photographed by the scammer, with this personal information later being stolen for fraudulent purposes.