Earlier this month, raids were conducted in Leicestershire, Manchester, West Midlands, London and Thames Valley as part of an investigation into the sale of fake car insurance, known as ‘ghost broking’.
Ghost brokers mostly operate through the internet, social media or small advertisements in order to lure young drivers or those looking for a cheap deal. It is even noted that these fraudsters operate in public areas such as approaching people in restaurants and students on university campuses.
This practice is a scam as it leaves the driver uninsured. It was found that in some cases, the fraudsters apply for cover to genuine insurance companies but alter the customer’s details, such as age and location, therefore decreasing the cost.
Those purchasing such bogus insurance policies could find their cars being seized, being responsible for fines and penalties, or receiving a criminal record. With this in mind, it is of upmost importance to be wary of those great deals which seem too good to be true, as they may not be so true after all.
The BBC reported that over 20,000 people could be driving around unaware of the fact they are uninsured due to purchasing fake insurance.
It comes as no shock that young drivers, myself included, search for the best deal on car insurance. However, it is worth bearing in mind, as Detective Chief Inspector Dave Wood, Head of IFED stated; ‘It is absolutely vital that drivers shopping for car insurance online, or through other means, question what they are being offered to ensure they get a real deal’.
By Gabrielle Bann-Khellaf, personal injury team
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