Moment criminals deliberately smash into innocent drivers in multi-million pound world of ‘crash for cash’ scams

THIS is the moment a group of criminals deliberately smash into innocent drivers as part of a multi-million pound “crash for cash” scam. Shocking dashcam footage showed a crook pulling out quickly and slamming into another motorist side-on in a dangerous manouevre while on a busy road. A criminal smashing into an innocent driver in a ‘crash for cash’ scam Credit: City of London Police One crook turning into incoming traffic Credit: City of London Police The spike in incidents comes as organised criminals have been deliberately crashing into innocent motorists on British roads, authorities have warned. The fraud involves gang members intentionally staging or inducing vehicle collisions to trigger fraudulent insurance payouts for financial gain. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Other footage captured showed cars deliberately braking in front of a motorists in a bid to try and cause an accident with no time to react. Many occasions resulted in near misses, narrowly avoiding what could have easily been dangerous collisions at speed. And another video in the montage showed a brazen criminal turning head first into incoming traffic, causing the driver to swerve wildly. The Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED) and dashcam manufacturer Nextbase are urging drivers to remain vigilant against the growing threat. Other videos showed cars braking suddenly in front of drivers to cause accidents Credit: City of London Police Two scammers setting up a fake crash for an insurance scam Credit: City of London Police Detectives warn the scams have evolved beyond basic staged bumps into aggressive roadside operations. Modern tactics – such as the ones captured on video – combine dangerous driving, on-the-spot identity theft, and collusion with corrupt repair networks. Most read in The Sun Another video even showed two crooks elaborately staging a crash scene with one driver crashing into a bike while the other pretended to be injured before calling 999. Over the past five years, IFED has investigated more than £25.3 million in suspected “crash for cash” cases with roughly 75 per cent of these involved deliberately staged or induced crashes. A driver swerving suddenly in front of another motorist with little reaction time Credit: City of London Police The drivers would do this as part of an insurance fraud schemeCredit: City of London Police Criminals are also now increasingly targeted methods to pressure shaken victims into immediate cash settlements or inflated insurance claims. Moped riders are increasingly targeting lone motorists, striking from blind spots or while drivers are momentarily distracted. The rider will throw their vehicle to the ground, feign injury, and film the scene to intimidate the victim into paying up on the spot. Identity theft has also become a core component of the fraud. Criminals are routinely demanding to photograph driving licences at the roadside, using the personal data to commit further crimes. Corrupt garages then systematically inflate repair bills to maximise the fraudulent insurance payout. Drivers are being advised to install dashcams to capture clear, timestamped evidence of any incident in order to combat the scam. Cops warned motorists to never hand over bank details, pay cash at the roadside, or allow their driving licence to be photographed. All collisions should be reported directly to insurers as quickly as possible. Detective Chief Inspector Nik Jethwa, Head of IFED, said: “Crash for cash fraud is a growing problem and criminals are becoming more aggressive in how they carry out these schemes. “We want the public to be more aware than ever of the tactics being used, which put innocent road users at risk. “Please take extra care at difficult junctions and roundabouts and follow our safety advice if you suspect something is wrong. “There is also a real risk of identity theft, so consider the potential consequences if you are involved in a collision. “IFED will continue to pursue those who exploit vulnerable people. “We are working with Nextbase to amplify this message and to highlight one of the simplest ways to protect yourself: consider getting a dashcam”