Some news just in from the City of London Police Insurance Fraud Dept;
Asif Javed, 25, of Kenelm Road, Birmingham, was sentenced on Friday 7 September 2018 to a 22 month custodial sentence and a 3 year disqualification from driving after he attempted to make fraudulent insurance claims for car crashes that he had deliberately caused. Javed pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation at Birmingham Crown Court on 6 June 2018.
The City of London Police’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED) was contacted in July 2016 by the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) regarding suspected crash for cash offences against victims who were insured by Aviva. The IFB had received intelligence from its insurer members as well as vital information from members of the public via its Cheatline regarding Javed’s activity, leading them to investigate further.
Between April 2016 and May 2017, Javed caused eight separate collisions on roads with potential losses totalling £22,732.05. Javed insured five cars using two policies from ERS and Ageas. Four of the cars were registered to one policy and one car was registered to the other. The two insurance policies were both set up using a bank card that was not registered in his name and different false names and addresses.
The first collision happened on 11 April 2016, when the victim’s car crashed into the back of another car that had suddenly braked. The car that caused the crash was registered to one of the two policies which have now been linked to Javed. The same car and insurance policy used in this first crash were again used in a crash on 25 April 2016. The driver gave his name as Asif Javed but provided an incorrect date of birth.
In one crash on 12 April 2016 the car that was believed to have deliberately caused the crash was insured to the same insurance policy as cars from other collisions caused by Javed in the same area.
In another crash, again on 12 April 2016, Javed gave his name as Ajanib Ajeb and provided the victim with a mobile phone number. This number was found by IFED to be registered to Javed. The BMW was registered to an address in Birmingham but the residents did not know Javed.
An additional four crashes occurred on 21 May 2016, 9 April, 12 April, and 12 May 2017. At three of these crashes, the victims were able to take photos of the driver. These photos were later used by IFB as evidence to link Javed to various incidents. This, coupled with intelligence from the industry, as well as additional photos shared by other victims on social media, strengthened the case against Javed. The IFB then provided this information to IFED, helping to identify Javed. The car he used was registered to his parents’ address.
Javed was arrested on 23 November 2017 at Birmingham International Airport having flown in after a visit to Pakistan. He was interviewed by IFED officers at Solihull Police Station on 24 November 2017. During his interview, he claimed that he had committed the frauds after he got into debt. Javed pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation at Birmingham Crown Court on 6 June 2018.
On sentencing, the judge commended the City of London Police officers on a thorough investigation.
Detective Constable Daryl Fryatt of the City of London Police’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department said: “In his desperation to make money, Javed set out on a year-long spree of deliberate crashes that put innocent members of the public at risk.
“He had no regard for the safety of those around him and crimes like his have contributed to the rise in premiums for insurance holders. His greed has resulted in another successful conviction for IFED. Crash for cash offences are taken very seriously and fraudsters will be stopped.”
Jason Potter, Head of Investigations at the IFB, said: “Javed was a reckless individual who forced motorists into accidents on a notoriously busy road. The victims in this case were innocent people going about their day to day lives and Javed did not hesitate to put their lives in danger for financial gain.
“This investigation demonstrates the commitment of the industry to stamping out this type of criminal activity. This sentencing should serve as a clear message to would-be fraudsters that they will pay the price for their selfish and abhorrent behaviour.”
Carl Mather, Special Investigations Unit Manager, Aviva, said, “Mr Javed’s actions were callous, calculating and put innocent motorists at risk of physical harm. Aviva is relentless in its pursuit of fraudsters who have such disregard and is determined to work in partnership with other insurers and law enforcement to secure appropriate sanctions. This sentence will reinforce the message to others considering committing fraud that Aviva, IFB and the Police are working together to share information and ensure fraudsters are brought to justice for their reckless acts.”
Robin Challand, Claims Director for Ageas said: “When someone decides to deliberately crash their car to defraud an insurance company they are risking hurting innocent road users and stealing from the other policy holders. Ageas works tirelessly alongside IFED and IFB to stop scams like these and we’re delighted that justice has been done today.”
Steve Gaywood, Head of Counter Fraud for ERS said: “The conviction secured here shows the value, and importance, of continuous collaboration between insurers and IFED in identifying, investigating and ultimately bringing to justice those who think that they are above the law. Our zero-tolerance approach to fraud will always see us pursue criminal action in order to defend honest motorists against this type of crime.”
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