Fraud Fiesta
29th June 2006

Police and detectives have cracked a gang who were believed to have staged at least 60 fake road accidents and fraudulently claimed for payouts.

The gang appeared to be buying top-of-the-range cars that had been badly damaged for a fraction of their value, staging a fake accident, and claiming the full amount. They were also believed to have crashed into unsuspecting members of the public, using carefully placed fake witnesses to corroborate their stories that they were in the right.

Claims were also made for personal injuries, such as whiplash under false names.

The gangs were rumbled by insurance crime database that works with insurers to help tackle the frauds that are believed to amount to around £1 billion a year in false claims.