Drivers should beware of sneaky moped fraud in major cities that can cost thousands of pounds – but there is a way to prevent it

MOTORISTS in major cities should beware of a sneaky moped scam that could cost them thousands of dollars.

This dangerous stunt can even have fatal consequences, but there is an easy way to prevent this.

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A leading insurance company reported a sharp increase in cases of “cash for crash” fraud over the past year.

As the name suggests, an accident occurs when a driver deliberately causes an accident and then blames the other party in an attempt to make a false insurance claim.

Well-known examples of this are scammers who use their brakes to force someone else to hit them from behind. The common misconception is that the victim is automatically liable.

It now appears to be particularly prevalent among scooter riders, as cheap or stolen vehicles can be used to make huge claims for damage and alleged personal injury.

Major insurer Allianz has found that the number of suspected accidents involving a sum of money has increased by a factor of 60 since the beginning of 2023.

They work in pairs and generally target single female drivers

Ros Karamath

And the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) estimates that around £27 million is involved in fraudulent claims.

Ros Karamath from South London told Autocar about her experience, reportedly falling victim to such a scam as she pulled out of an intersection.

She claimed: “I was surprised to see a moped rider to my right had stopped traffic and was waving me across the road.

“As I checked to see if the road on the left was clear, a second moped passed him and crashed into the front of my car.

“The cyclist jumped off his bike and immediately started taking pictures of the situation.

“When we exchanged information he was very calm and I saw that the other rider had left.”

Fortunately, Ros said she was able to take a photo of the cyclist’s license plate and she was able to prove that his bicycle was not damaged.

The 65-year-old is now a member of a local WhatsApp group dedicated to helping people caught in cash after a car accident.

She continued: “They work in pairs and usually target women driving alone.

“Some even demand cash, but most do this to claim personal injury compensation.”

Matt Crabtree, head of financial crime intelligence and investigative strategy at Allianz, added: “Organised criminal gangs have evolved their tactics to the point where we are seeing them moving around and spreading small groups across larger areas to avoid detection.”

Fortunately, there is an easy way to avoid this scam: install a dash cam on your vehicle.

You can use the camera images to prove that you are not liable for a collision.

Even if you drive into the back of someone else, contrary to popular belief, you can still win the claim if you can prove that the person was at fault.

This comes after Martin Lewis’ MSE revealed the exact time you should renew your car insurance to get the best deal.