Ghost broking is just one of many online scams. From Get-rich-quick schemes on Instagram, to amazing new products on TikTok and Twitter, the internet is rife will all kinds of dubious promotions. It’s laudable that the IFB are warning people but human nature means people will always seek a cheaper car quote than £3000 for their first car. By any means.
That could be quote manipulation of jobs, postcode or parked overnight details etc. We have a range of problems affecting Motor, including uninsured drivers, expensive hybrid/EV repair chains, organised theft of prestige brands/models, chop shops, plus unvetted riders delivering much more than fast food on mopeds around most UK cities.
Here’s an idea; perhaps penalties of £1m plus EACH WEEK against the social media platforms for hosting all these scam ads might make them more rigorous in checking what content is being uploaded?
Here’s the latest from the IFB;
Reports of people being duped by fake motor insurance deals sold by Ghost Brokers on social media rose 6% last year and a further increase is expected as financial strain increases, warns the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) .
The news comes as exclusive YouGov findings reveal one in five 18-24 year olds are now using social media to search for car insurance deals – which is a prime hunting ground for Ghost Brokers. Furthermore, new insights by the IFB show that TikTok and SnapChat are now amongst the most popular sites for the con to take place.
The General Insurance Fraud Committee (GIFC) believes more people will be tempted by deals that are too good to be true and has launched a campaign in partnership with insurers and police to encourage the public to be savvy to bogus deals.
On any given year the IFB can uncover up to 50,000 fraudulent motor insurance policies with thousands of these being linked to Ghost Broking activity. Falling for a fake motor insurance deal not only leaves victims out of pocket, but they risk serious consequences by having their vehicle seized by the police for driving uninsured.
Think it can’t happen to you?
Manpreet, a student at Birmingham City University, reported to CheatLine after falling victim to a Ghost Broker which left her £2,000 out of pocket and her identity stolen. Having struggled to find an affordable insurance quote online, she turned to TikTok where she found an ‘insurance broker’ who claimed to have helped lots of people find a great deal.
Despite Manpreet asking all the right questions, the Ghost Broker lured her into his web of lies. She describes him as being very manipulative, telling her “you need to trust me” and “I’ve got you sorted”, the red flags obvious when she looks back on their exchanges. When she questioned how he was able to secure such a cheap deal, he simply said “It’s just what we do”. After spending two hours on the phone and watching him seemingly enter her details on the system, she was convinced. Little did she know her world was about to come crashing down.
Manpreet shared this piece of advice: “My message to everyone around my age group would be if [on social media] a broker has posted insurance advice or they’ve shown pictures of what they call evidence to help other people and it looks too good to be true, then I would not go for it… they would probably end up lying on your policy.”
Want to watch Manpreet’s full story? See it on Vimeo here.
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