Scammers across the UK have been making money at the expense or vulnerable motorists in a new fraud titled ‘clip for cash’.
Fraudsters are deliberately causing a collision and making false personal injury claims before demanding instant cash to avoid taking the case further.
The scam takes place on residential roads, where the fraudster parks their car and hurls a small object at the side of the victim's vehicle to make an impact sound.
The fraudster then accuses the victim of clipping their wing mirror, which had already been damaged, and demands cash upfront or pressures them into driving to a cashpoint to cover the cost of repairs.
Over 40 cases are currently under investigation, with some victims losing hundreds of pounds. In some instances, the offender has become physically intimidating when the victim refused to hand over money.
The Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) and City of London Police's Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED) are warning drivers to watch out for this scam, which is spreading across the UK. If targeted, drivers should report their concerns to their insurer, local police force, and the IFB's Cheatline and Action Fraud.