Whiplash fraud up in Barking
It has been revealed that fraudulent whiplash claims and whiplash injury due to staged car accidents, has increased in Barking.
The Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) has warned drivers in the area of criminal gangs who trick unsuspecting motorists into crashes, so they can file a claim to gain money.
Richard Davies, from the group said the gangs are: “Highly organised and have different ways of inciting accidents that drivers should look out for.
“We are detecting these types of crimes more quickly than we were. We check 250million claims and policy records every year to pinpoint where cash for crash activity is ongoing,” he stated.
He added: “A lot of the time these people will seem fine after the crash, completely uninjured. But when the insurance claim comes through they say they have injuries and exaggerate the amount of time their vehicle has been off the road. Some say they are unable to work after the accident.”
In the last year alone, Barking has moved from being 14th nationally in the IFB's statistics on cash for crash to 11th.
Updated on 22/10/2009