Motorists have been advised to carry out several quick checks before driving that could protect them financially if a collision happens, especially if it was deliberately caused by fraudsters. 'Crash for cash' scams are on the rise, with scammers orchestrating staged accidents to make fraudulent insurance claims or pressure victims into handing over cash on the spot.
Rise of Dashcam Ownership
New figures from Confused.com show that more than two in five (43 per cent) of dashcam owners say they own one to safeguard themselves in the event of an incident. However, if the dashcam has any faults, the recording can prove useless. Car insurance expert Rhydian Jones has outlined the most prevalent 'crash for cash' tactics used by fraudsters and the straightforward 10-second checks every motorist should perform before setting off.
Common 'Crash for Cash' Scams
'Crash for cash' incidents occur when a scammer deliberately causes an accident or creates a situation where collision is unavoidable to submit a fraudulent claim. Some of the most common scams include:
- Sudden brake slam: The driver ahead abruptly hits the brakes, forcing you to rear-end them and making it look like you're at fault.
- Flash and crash: The scammer flashes their headlights to wave you out of a side road or junction, then deliberately speeds up to collide with you and claims you pulled out dangerously.
- Multi-car swoop: A driver cuts in front of you and brakes sharply, while a second scammer prevents you from stopping or switching lanes, creating an unavoidable collision.
- Moped/scooter scams: Scammers on mopeds or scooters ride alongside vehicles in congested areas and suddenly dart in front of you as you attempt to turn a corner, claiming you struck them.
- Thrown objects: Scammers hurl objects at your vehicle to create a dent and replicate the sound of an impact.
- Photographing your details: Following an 'incident', scammers pressure you into revealing your driving licence and insurance details, which they photograph and could potentially use to fraudulently take out insurance policies.
These scams work well as there is little evidence about what happened, which is where dashcam footage can be invaluable. According to Confused.com, almost 2 in 5 (37 per cent) drivers have used their footage to prove their innocence following a car incident. Additionally, over 1 in 4 (28 per cent) have provided footage to support an insurance claim.
10-Second Dashcam Checks to Prevent Fraud
To ensure you can steer clear of 'crash for cash' scams with your dashcam, car insurance expert Rhydian Jones has listed five 10-second checks:
- Make sure the lens is clean: If the lens is dirty, it can distort footage and make it blurry or unreadable, especially in bad weather or low light. A quick wipe with a clean cloth before setting off can ensure the camera captures clear footage. Also, make sure the windscreen around the camera is clean.
- Double check it is recording: This might sound obvious, but it's very important. You could assume it's working, but not be able to provide the footage you need because of a simple issue like a loose cable or changed settings.
- Ensure timestamp is correct: If the date and time on the footage isn't correct, it can create confusion when viewed by police or insurers, and can lead to challenges regarding the validity of the evidence, making it harder to prove what happened.
- Secure the dashcam: If the dashcam is wobbly or misaligned, it can affect the angle of the recording and make it harder to see details like number plates and road signs.
- Check the memory: Most dashcams record footage to a microSD card. It's important to make sure there is enough memory on the card, as older recordings can be automatically overwritten before you are able to back them up.
How to Submit Footage of Dangerous Driving
The car insurance team at Confused.com has developed an online tool designed to assist road users in sharing dashcam footage, guiding them through every stage of submitting video evidence to Operation SNAP. By simply choosing their local police force, road users can find out exactly how to upload their footage and discover how their recordings can assist officers in taking prompt action. The tool also provides guidance on forwarding dashcam footage to insurers, ensuring motorists can make the most of their recordings for safety purposes, reduced premiums, and hassle-free insurance claims.
Rhydian Jones, car insurance expert at Confused.com, said: "In recent years, new measures have been introduced to make roads safer, from the roll out of AI cameras to the new Operation SNAP scheme. Our latest research shows that more than 232,709 videos have been submitted to police since 2022."
"Efforts like this are an important step toward safer roads. They give drivers and passengers a platform to share video footage of potentially dangerous behaviour directly with the police but many don't know where to begin. To help make it simpler, we've created a tool for sharing dashcam footage with Operation SNAP. It guides road users to their local police force, explains the reporting steps, and helps them declare their dash cam to insurers if they have one. Their footage can genuinely help keep everyone safer on the road."
