| Crime is everywhere and all around us. Not all crime is | | | | red light. |
| requires the use of stun guns or pepper spray to | | | | Wave |
| thwart a potential assault or robbery. Some crimes | | | | This tactic is normally done in heavy traffic and when |
| are perpetrated by white collar or blue collar people | | | | there is a merge. The perpetrator waves to the |
| who take advantage of others when they least | | | | victim and pretends to yield the right of way. As the |
| expect it. | | | | victim begins to merge into the lane, the perpetrator |
| Many car accidents are merely insurance schemes | | | | accelerates his car to force an impact. When police |
| designed to get the consumer to pay through higher | | | | arrive, the perpetrator falsely reports ever giving up |
| premiums. | | | | the right of way. |
| You are driving down the interstate when all of a | | | | Shady Helper |
| sudden you are involved in a car accident. However, | | | | This could happen after an honest auto accident. A |
| this is not just any car accident. You become a victim | | | | stranger accosts you after an accident and gives you |
| of a scheme to defraud your insurance company out | | | | phone numbers to an auto body shop, lawyer, or |
| of thousands of dollars. Nationally, insurance | | | | doctor. This could be a scam. The auto repair shop |
| companies fork over millions of dollars a year to | | | | often fattens your repair cost, and the doctor may |
| defend against misleading car accident claims by | | | | give you less than the required clinical treatment or |
| people profiting from these claims. How do car | | | | none at all. A lawyer may try to convince you to sue |
| insurance schemes affect you? Who do you think | | | | the insurance company. |
| pays for the cost of insurance scams? YOU DO! | | | | Most insurance schemes are performed by experts |
| You can prevent possible car insurance accident fraud | | | | who role-play before actually committing the crime. |
| by educating yourself on the techniques that are | | | | They are normally very professional and skillful in their |
| practiced today. Call your insurance provider if you | | | | deeds, but that does not mean that you can take |
| believe you have been scammed or witnessed a | | | | steps from becoming a victim. The following is some |
| scam. An insurance provider could reward you for | | | | measure than can be taken to shift the advantage |
| your efforts in providing such information. | | | | to your side. |
| Here is a list of schemes used today by many white | | | | Keep a disposable camera, pen and paper in your |
| collar criminals. | | | | glove compartment. If you have a cell phone with a |
| Paper Accident | | | | camera feature, this is perfect! A picture can be a |
| A paper accident is when a criminal actively solicits | | | | valuable tool in an auto accident. After an accident, |
| other people in the car repair and salvage industry to | | | | take a ton of pictures of every car including the |
| partake in accidents that only exits on paper. | | | | passengers. Get as much information about every |
| Crooked lawyers, doctors, and insurance agents are | | | | person in the accident including names and phone |
| normally part of this scheme as well. The perpetrator | | | | numbers of witnesses. The pictures along with your |
| will knowingly keep the claim less than $1,000 | | | | notes will leave little room for perpetrators to lie |
| because most insurance companies will not | | | | about the damage to their car and injury to their |
| investigate a claim less than this amount. | | | | passengers afterwards. If you believe an accident |
| Hit & Run | | | | was a setup, get good details about the accident! |
| A "hit & run" is when a perpetrator reports a | | | | Protect yourself always! |
| false hit and run to their insurance provider. | | | | What should you do if you are involved in an auto |
| Swoop & Squat | | | | accident? |
| Swoop & squat is when a perpetrator abruptly | | | | 1. Exchange information with the driver. |
| pulls in front of a car (the swoop) and quickly slams | | | | 2. Have your driver license, vehicle registration, and |
| on the brakes (the squat). An accomplice moves to | | | | proof of insurance ready. |
| the side of the targeted vehicle to prevent the | | | | 3. Count the number of people in the car and get |
| trapped car from swerving out of the way. This is | | | | their: |
| called "boxing in" a vehicle. Then all the passengers in | | | | • Names |
| the squat car report injuries that are supported later | | | | • Address |
| by a crooked medical doctor or chiropractor. | | | | • Telephone number |
| Sideswipe | | | | • Note if they were wearing seatbelts |
| This is a technique used in multiple turn lanes at an | | | | • Note if they acted injured only after the police |
| intersection. A perpetrator will continue to take | | | | arrived at the scene |
| multiple left turns until another car suddenly moves | | | | 4. Get the names, address, and phone numbers of |
| into the lane in which the perpetrator suddenly | | | | anybody that witnessed the accident. |
| accelerates to force impact. | | | | 5. Contact police if you believe the accident is staged. |
| T-bone | | | | Remember. Even if you are not a victim in an auto |
| This procedure is normally done in the absence of | | | | insurance fraud, helping insurance companies deter |
| any hostile witnesses. The perpetrator sits and waits | | | | insurance fraud crime benefits you, the honest |
| at an intersection and knowingly rams into a car as it | | | | consumer. The consumer will end up paying for the |
| passes. When police arrive to take an accident | | | | cost of auto insurance via higher premiums. This is |
| report, bogus witnesses show up all of a sudden and | | | | something that many people do not want to do. |
| tell the officer that the victim ran a stop sign or a | | | | |