APU warn motorists over flash-for-cash scam

This article was published on: 08/16/13

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The accident investigation firm, APU, has warned all motorists to beware of the new tactic for road traffic accident fraud, ‘flash-for-cash’ as it appears to be becoming a worrying trend in 2013.

Drivers are being told to be wary of fraudsters flashing them into carefully set up collision path in order to submit claims for thousands of pounds and are claiming that it is occurring because of the clampdown this year by insurers and police services on fraudulent staged crashes.

The APU’s investigation team is made up of former police officers and forensic data investigators, who have made the worrying discovery when looking into the cause of accidents on the road.

These forced car accidents commonly take place by fuel stations and other such junctions in what is a very sophisticated type of fraud.

The APU’s director of investigative services explains: “It is yet another example of how criminal gangs are becoming more sophisticated and attempting to stay one step ahead of suspicion.

“The adoption of flashing headlights and beckoning the driver results in a ‘your word against mine’ situation when it comes to apportioning the blame.

“By appearing to offer the right of way, the criminal simply continues the journey into a collision, holding the victim at fault for turning across from which, of course, cannot be denied under law.”

This is exactly the type of fraud which the personal injury sector as well as the government are looking to stamp out and goes to show that it is criminal gangs and groups that are operating such schemes.

It also displays further why punishing the genuine accident victim is not the way to tackle the people committing these types of fraud because, as this switch in tactic suggests, they will just find the next way to commit fraud and drain money out of innocent people.