New car insurance scam sees drivers slapped with £50k bills thanks to brutal ‘claims hijackers’… three ways to stay safe
A NEW car insurance scam has seen drivers slapped with £50,000 bills by brutal "claims hijackers" but there are now three ways to stay safe.
Scammers use spoof websites which appear at the top of Google to target unwitting drivers.
The scammers encourage customers to click on third party sites,
only for them to become embroiled in legal rows with dodgy firms.
The customers can then be landed with bills of up to £50,000.
The issue of insurance crime has now been highlighted by the The Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB).
The IFB says consumers must be vigilant when searching for their insurer online.
They should check the phone number and website URL on any ads to help ensure it's legitimate, before sharing personal information and agreeing to claims services.
Website This Is Money has explained how the rogue operators target
customers.
The scam specifically targets drivers who attempt to make an insurance claim through Google.
But in the process of trying to find their company online, they are bombarded with misleading ads paid for by unscrupulous firms can trick victims into contacting them instead.
When clicking on the bogus sites they become embroiled in a labyrinth of agreements which can cost them tens of thousands of pounds.
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The scammers realise that drivers who have had a crash are more likely to be in a rush and a little emotional. This can impair their judgement when making the claim.
The IFB is currently investigating several firms suspected of being linked to the activity.
Ursula Jallow, Director at IFB, said: "The scale and complexity of paid-ad spoofing scams is significant.
"Millions use and search for insurance services each day, and it only takes a small number of people to fall for paid-ad scams for a string of dodgy firms to greatly profit from their misfortune.
"Anyone with concerns of paid-ad spoofing claims scams must report it to our CheatLine."
Insurance giant Aviva said that many of their customers have targeted by the scammers, including elderly and distressed drivers.
Pete Ward, head of claims counter fraud at Aviva, said: "When a customer has a car accident, they look to their insurer to assist them in their time of need.
"The willful misleading of consumers at their most vulnerable point – usually searching for their insurer's claims details at the roadside after an accident –is causing anxiety and financial stress to those involved.
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"Aviva has been working with the IFB, law enforcement and the wider insurance industry, to make consumers aware of the online scammers and protect them from these unscrupulous actors. We hope this will prevent others from being targeted by paid-ad spoofing.'