Flash for Cash Insurance Stings
Motorists are being warned to be wary of seemingly courteous drivers flashing them to pull out of a junction as a new scam recently came to light which is costing insurance companies millions of pounds.
Fraud experts are calling it “flash for cash”. It works when criminals flash a driver waiting to pull out of a junction, apparently allowing them out. When the driver does so, the criminal crashes into them on purpose and then submits a claim to their insurance company; it’s extremely difficult to prove that the driver didn’t just pull out in front of the criminal without looking.
Vulnerable drivers targeted
Gangs are targeting vulnerable users such as women drivers with children in the car and older drivers.
The scam is similar in nature to well known “crash for cash” schemes, where criminals slam their brakes on very suddenly, causing the car behind to crash into them, and then claiming from their insurance.
Both schemes can net unscrupulous gangs thousands of pounds profit when they submit bogus claims for whiplash injuries (sometimes for fictitious passengers), loss of earnings, vehicle recovery, storage, repair and car hire.
Police advise drivers not to make assumptions
Police have advised drivers to be extremely wary of drivers flashing them at junctions. According to the Highway Code, flashing your lights is only to be used to warn other drivers that you are there. Although the signal is commonly used as a courtesy to other drivers, never assume that it is safe to pull out of a junction when another driver flashed their lights at you.
