Across the nation, insurance fraud from staged auto accident schemes costs the insured more than $50 billion yearly. Crashers is a true-to-life novel that uncovers how the innocent get lured into the scheme of "cappers" and "hammers."
Guest Post by author of Crashers, Lindy S Hudis
Of the 10
million or so automobile accidents reported each year, one out of five of them
may not even be accidents at all. In fact, they just may be a planned or
“staged” accident – one of the fastest growing types of fraud in the country
today. If you drive a car, you could be
another victim.
What criminals
find most alluring about this type of fraud, is that it is difficult to
prove. This is why the “crash for cash”
accidents continue to be a growing problem. How fast is this growing? The
National Insurance Crime Bureau states that as recently as 2009, there were
around 85,000 questionable insurance claims reported. That is up 43% from 2008.
It may not be bank robbery, but this crime is here to stay.
There is also an
array of professionals who are recruited to participate in this type of fraud.
Attorneys, doctors and various “victims” - sometimes referred to as “cappers”
and “hammers” - all collaborate to
misrepresent facts to fraudulently obtain insurance money. The results of this
are skyrocketing costs for insurance premiums, medical insurance, and various
other expenses. This crime costs the insurance industry literally hundreds of
millions each year.
Staged
automobile accidents usually include these types of situations: fake auto
accidents with phony injuries, falsification of reports about cars being hit,
and “victims” being added to fake accident reports.
There are
several types of scams involved in these particular crimes:
1) Swoop and Squat – A vehicle, the “hammer car”, will cut you off in traffic (the swoop)
and suddenly slams on the brakes (the squat) which results in a rear-end
collision. The suspect car has “victims”, or “stuffed passengers”, who claim to
have painful neck and back injuries, even if the collision was at a low speed.
2) Sideswipe – A fraudulent “victim”/ driver could deliberately ram you at a busy
intersection.
3) “Helpers” – You could be approached by a friendly stranger at the scene of an
accident. They may seem like they are trying to “help” you, but in reality they
will try to bully you into seeking treatment at a specific medical clinic, a
specific attorney, or an specific body shop for the repairs on your car. This
person could be a “capper” – an individual who recruits various people into his
network.
What can you do to avoid being a victim?
The answer is to be proactive, not reactive. First, never tailgate. It’s dangerous, and makes you an easy mark for any
unscrupulous drivers. Second, glance
into your rear view mirror every 8 seconds to observe the drivers behind you.
Keep a safe distance between you and them. Third, look beyond the car in front
of you while driving. Keep your eyes up and on the road at all times. Never drive distracted. If you follow basic
common sense advice while driving, you can be rest assured that you, and your
passengers, will remain safe, and you won’t be a victim to any dishonest
drivers.
About the Author, Lindy S. Hudis
Lindy S. Hudis is a graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. She is the author of a suspense novel, Weekends. Her screenplay “The Lesson” was made into an independent film and was screened at the Seattle Independent Film Festival and Cine-Nights in 2000. She lives in California with her husband and two children.
Read my book review HERE
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