If you live or work in London, or any major UK city, you will see thousands of mopeds and scooters buzzing around delivering food, parcels, pharma products and other essentials. Most are legit, with licences, insurance and legal machines, but some are not quite legal. In fact several are looking to make money from a nice side hustle; crash for cash. Here’s the word from the IFB;
Londoners are being warned of a widespread network of crash for cash fraudsters on mopeds who are targeting innocent road users, and are thought to have attempted £27 million worth of bogus claims (nearly £40,000 a day). A multi-agency investigation led by the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB), City of London Police’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED), and several insurers, found an estimated 2,250 people in London were victims of crash for cash moped scams in the past two years.
Many of the suspected fraudsters are believed to be couriers delivering items such as take-aways and are predominantly targeting drivers in North London’s most affluent areas. As there is little awareness of the tactics being used by crash for cash moped scammers, it is believed thousands more people could have unknowingly been targeted. As a result, IFB and IFED have launched an urgent appeal to help road users learn the warning signs of the scam and report evidence to Cheatline via 0800 422 0421.
NEED FOR DIGITAL ID CHECKS ON EVERY SHIFT?
The news adds another layer of criminality to a sector which relies of freelance workers, mostly younger men from other countries. In 2019 the Mail Online reported on turf wars between delivery riders, where scooters were being torched, riders threatened with violence and arrangements where a group of riders from a particular cojntry have exclusive rights to deliver in a certain area.
The problems regarding background checks on freelance couriers and delivery staff is a UK-wide problem of course, it isn’t just in London. In 2021 a Syrian national working as a Deliveroo driver was convicted of rape in Plymouth. In Bracknell in 2022 Police stopped a delivery rider and discovered that he had no right to work in the UK. Meanwhile back in London, in Tooting in May 2023 Police had to break up a mass brawl involving delivery riders. Some were armed with metal poles and knives.
A recent investigation by the Home Office recently found that many Deliveroo and Uber Eats riders had no actual right to be in the UK, or work here legally. Some 60 individuals were arrested, some might be deported, according to the Evening Standard.
One method criminals or those without the right to work legally use to obtain work in the delivery sector is to get someone “clean” to open a rider account, and then take over that person’s ID. This was highlighted by the Scottish Sun in 2022. It is clear that the whole delivery sector needs tighter regulation on ID checks at the start of every shift, not just a one time check when a new rider account is set up. One method could be a digital login using biometric recognition software via smartphones.
HOW DOES THE NEW CRASH FOR CASH SCAM WORK?
Watch this video to see a crash for cash moped scam take place.
Ursula Jallow, Director at IFB, said:
“Crash for cash moped scams have become epidemic in our capital. These dangerous fraudsters are driving head-first into unsuspecting motorists, leaving countless victims terrified and insurers facing millions of pounds in bogus claims. We’re collaborating closely with IFED and the insurance industry to bring every one of these reckless fraudsters to justice. We encourage all Londoners to watch out for the unique signs of crash for cash moped scams and to report any evidence to our Cheatline.”
POLICE COMMENT
Detective Chief Inspector Tom Hill, at City of London Police’s IFED, said:
“Crash for cash fraudsters have little regard for the lasting impact that their actions can have on victims, so it is concerning to see that over 2,200 people have been targeted by moped drivers in just two years.
“We urge road users to learn the tell-tale signs that can precede these collisions, as knowing them can help protect you from falling victim. If you suspect you have been targeted, report it to Cheatline.”
What is the scale of the issue?
IFB and IFED’s ongoing investigations into crash for cash indicate similar incidents could date as far back as ten years ago. However, since 2021 there has been a surge in activity with collisions reported across London’s most affluent boroughs, including Barnet, Brent, Camden, Enfield, Haringey and Hackney, Islington, and Kensington and Chelsea.
The issue of crash for cash moped scams in the capital has now grown to become IFB’s biggest ever investigation. Nearly every motor insurer in the country has been targeted, with bogus claims totaling £27 million in value.
Mark Allen, Assistant Director, Head of Fraud and Financial Services, Association of British Insurers, said:
“Staged crash for cash scams are a dangerous menace on our roads. Often highly organised, and constantly looking for new targets to exploit, these criminals put lives at risk. The industry is determined to do all it can to protect innocent motorists from these frauds through working collaboratively to drive this scourge from our roads.”
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