Insurance Accident Scams!! Beware!!

Received this email from a friend who had forwarded to me. True
or not, read it for information, just to be on awareness side, in case it
really is true...


Dear Family & Friends (Driver / Non-Driver),


This is a real life encounter and happened to me on the 22nd August at 12.25 pm along Braddell Road towards Toa
Payoh, just after the turn from Serangoon Road . Thank God no one was hurt especially me and other road users.


As I was traveling just after the turn from Serangoon Road into Braddell Road , up came a merging lane. I was on the
extreme right lane of the dual carriage-way. As I entered into the merging lane and moved towards the center of the
now single carriage-way, this 2002 Beige toyota corolla car which was always behind me started to accelerate and horn
furiously at me than squeeze through me from the left side and forcing me to move to the extreme right of that single
lane to avoid any collision with him. It was a close shave with a dangerous driver who wanted to overtake me in a
single lane and blaring his horn even though I have the right of way. If I didn't avoid him and give way to him,
there would have been an accident at that point already.


Having avoided the accident, we cleared the merging lane and got onto Braddell Road on the extreme left lane. I was
now a few cars behind the dangerous beige toyota corolla. I signaled and got a clear space to changed into the middle
lane heading towards Toa Payoh as the left was heading for CTE. I started to pick up speed and thinking of
overtaking this car (also I was late to pick my son from tuition at 12.30pm) immediately after doing that, the same
beige toyota corolla switch into the middle lane to be in front of me and JAM BRAKED!!!!! Now here's the trick, he
jam braked WITHOUT ANY BRAKE LIGHTS coming on (this can be done by pulling the hand brake) thus it was too late for
me to react and I hit into the REAR of his car.


Once I hit his car, we moved into the left lane to inspect the damages. We both got out of the car, and I was
definitely furious! After all what he had done, the merging incident (which was really dangerous) and now braking
without brake lights causing me to hit him. But it was totally different for the guy in the beige toyota corolla, he
came out all calm relaxed and immediately started to take pictures of his car without saying any word at all. (Ok own
up, which driver would not get angry if he was hit from the back!!! to at least confront the other driver on why he
hit him or to listen to an explanation first before proceeding to inspect the car!!!) As he took his pictures, I
noticed he was very very detailed covering all the angles. He even went to the road centre to take pictures, he
behaved as though he has done before and he seemed to know everything that is needed to make his claim for the
accident.


That's not all, once he was done with the pictures he immediately made a few calls, always making sure he stood away
from me and took an extremely long time on the phone. I waited a long time before exchanging our particulars. Between
this time, there were a few car workshop personnel who stopped to assist (make money from accident), he totally
avoided them and ignored them. At this stage I was of course very angry (double boiled), kept on cursing him, said I
would report his scam to the police and even told him I would have beaten him up if I was the violent type and he
calmly answered me, "go and report" and "you will go to jail if you hit me".


As the accident was near my house I asked my sons to come over and help. Over the weekend, whilst talking to my
eldest son about the accident he recalled that he noticed the interior of the car was BARE, no radio, no accessories
etc. and we regretted that we did not take any pictures of the interior of the car!!


I feel that this cannot in any way be a coincidence but more of a professional scammer doing this to claim insurance
money. I did go to the police but the traffic police and the police said they will not investigate even though I
lodge a report to them. Today, I called my insurance company (the claims dept) to inform them that I may be a victim
of a accident scam, they said they will thoroughly check on the 3rd party claim against me.


So to all reading this email, sorry that it's long but I hope that it would be a note to everyone to be very careful
on the roads especially of older cars. You need to always be alert and keep your cool. If any of you have experienced
this please or know how to stop these car accident scammers who are taking our insurance money away please share your
experience. If this goes on I am afraid one day they will take someone's life with their dangerous scam.


Wishing you all the safest of drives on the road.





An article from www.streetdirectory.com on the types of scam are being used.


Dishonest people scam insurance companies every day. Insurance companies then pass the cost of these scams down to
the consumer by raising rates. What is more worrisome than the scamming and loss of low car insurance is the life
risk these criminals pose to each and every one of us. They do not care that our lives and our family's lives are put
in danger by their unscrupulous behavior. Learn how to recognize and avoid some of the most common accident scams.

The sideswipe: A person will continuously make left hand turns in an intersection with multiple lanes until someone
accidentally crosses the lane lines. The scammer then speeds up and causes a collision. To help others, tell the
police if it seems that the other vehicle sped up instead of braking. You can avoid this type of crash by diligently
keeping to your lane.

T-Bone Crash: This crash is orchestrated very simply. The criminal will inconspicuously wait at an intersection until
someone crosses, then ram them. The criminal will claim you ran the red light or stop sign. Planted witnesses will
collaborate with the other driver. This is hard to avoid.. Do your best to find a witness not involved in the scam.

Swoop and Squat: Almost everyone has heard of this tactic. It is when a car swoops in front of you quickly, then
slams on the brakes (squats). Many times the vehicle has multiple passengers who will claim injury. Often there are
doctors and lawyers involved also. This one is extremely hard to avoid. The best thing is to just pay attention to
passing vehicles and be prepared to stop quickly. These scams tend to file huge claims and affect the low cost of
insurance the most.

Right of Way Scam: A really nice person gives you permission to merge with a friendly wave, then crashes into you.
This person denies ever yielding right of way. You can avoid this one of two ways. You could never submit to
strangers kind gestures or you could hesitate before merging. This assures there is plenty of room for you to
accelerate quickly when changing lanes. It will help avoid a side impact. Then if the perpetrator hits you from
behind, he or she clearly accelerated and it will be his or her fault.

Paper Scams: Criminals will report a bogus hit and run or will file a claim for a low amount of money. Amounts under
one thousand don't tend draw red flags from insurance companies and can add up to a lot of money if claimed several
times a month. these criminals will usually switch insurance companies often or enlist multiple partners in the scam
and split the profits. These don't affect others except for ruining low cost insurance rates.

When getting car insurance quotes, ask the company how they handle possible accident scams and what you should do if
you feel you have been a victim. The company needs to have a good plan in place to deal with these possible issues.
Not only does it affect our health, lives and low car insurance policies, it also affects our driving record.

whenever I see those COE cars in front of me, I sure keep at least 2-3 cars length, got chance faster siam them...usually this belong to syndicate on prowl for victims....

Sounds like a motor workshop scam rather than insurance accident scam.

Last time when I drive an older car, before changing to the new car. If I saw the people behind me yaya, and follow closely, I do jam break also. Get new back side for my car. So what, who ask you to follow my back side so close? Your problem or my problem? School never teach you the 2 seconds rule?

And tell you what, the best is, the police can't do anything about this. This is the law, you hit my back side, you are at fault.

So, the lesson is the 2 seconds rule.

Hahaha!! Alrite!! :-)

The other day I was driving, then this idiot (notice I didnt use harsher words cos respect this forum) came out from the side road joining to the road I am at. He fast and made it out before my car reached his. But I had to jam brake!! So of course I horned rite?? You all would have done the same rite??!!

Best part is I was driving fast as I normally do cos my mum was in the car. And the even better part is, this ****er can even get angry at me and stare at me and chased me and stayed on my arse and side for quite a distance. If my mum wasnt in the car and telling me to calm down, I would have chased him all the way until he stopped.

Then I think my mum stared back at him and then he went off. Think he scared of aunty!! Hahahaha!! :-)

He was driving a Rav4 or Rush. Got probation plate but upside down. Good thing I was going fast. He think his car what car?? Can drift out before I reach that spot??!! Dun say camry, which I was driving that day, Forte also I wont lose out to him lah!! @#$#%$^%

I guess the theory is simple,

My a$$ are always "open", kiss as you like, just make sure your pocket have enough $$$ to pay me.

Well, I can do another jam break infront of a Lexus, BMW, or maybe a Forte, when I wish to change a new spoiler.

Especially ECP during peak hour, people drive like their father own the express way, or during drinking days, just aim for a sponsor who just came out from the pub, and let him kiss your a$$, well you want to report to police or pay me? Totally up to you!

They are just good sponsors!