78:, while the other drives beside the victim âsquatterâ to prevent them from changing lanes to avoid rear-ending the car. The âswoopâ car is usually driven by an experienced ring member, while the âsquatâ car is usually full of accomplices, who will claim that they were injured even if it was only a low-speed collision, submitting fraudulent claims to the insurance company. The "Swoop and Squat" scheme may also involve three cars that work in tandem to cause a car accident: one pulls in front of the victim, the âsquatterâ, another cuts the car off in front of the victim a couple of seconds afterward the âswooperâ cuts both off, forcing the âsquatâ car to brake, while the third pulls alongside the victim to box them in, causing the victim to rear-end the car in front of them. The âswoopâ car drives away, leaving the victim responsible.
130:
collides with the car in front. Another scenario (known as âflash for cashâ) happens when a driver flashes their lights at a junction to let the victim out, then crashes into the victim's car deliberately. The other driver will insist the accident is the victim's fault. The scammer will then hand over their insurance details â sometimes already prepared and written down. A few weeks after the accident the victim's insurers will write to the victim with details of the other driver's claim which will be exaggerated with costs like car hire, recovery and whiplash injuries.
145:
50:
were recruited to stage a "Swoop and Squat" scheme and drive the swoop cars: a high-risk job that nobody wanted, but for which the immigrants could be paid only $ 100. One such driver, Jose Luis Lopez Perez, died after a swoop and squat crash, leading to an investigation which revealed the extent of
122:
that usually happens after a genuine crash has occurred. A fraud runner will solicit a crash victim and advertise the services of specific repair shops, chiropractors, or lawyers. These, in turn, will submit fraudulent claims on the victim's behalf or deceive the victim into undergoing unnecessary
129:
Crash for cash scammers choose their victims carefully â they keep an eye out for drivers who look like they would be fully insured but be less likely to cause a fuss. The criminals, in a car in front of the victim, slam on the brakes for no obvious reason, and the victim has no time to react and
105:
occurs when the victim is driving in heavy traffic and wants to change lanes. A supposedly good actor waves the victim forward, but while the victim is changing lanes, that person deliberately smashes into the victim's car. When police arrive, the bad actor denies having waved the victim forward,
91:
happens at intersections that have dual left turn lanes. It involves a victim car that drifts into the adjacent lane by accident while making a turn. The perpetrator then rushes to crash into the victim that just drifted into their lane. Claiming innocence, the perpetrator then submits a claim to
84:
is like the âswoop and squatâ, but the offending vehicle has passengers and gets in front of the victim's vehicle while a passenger watches and waits for the victim to be distracted, so they won't be able to react quickly enough to stop. The perpetrator then slams on the brakes causing a rear-end
98:
usually staged in gridlocked traffic. The perpetrator, placed in front of the victim, starts to move forward, making the victim believe traffic is moving finally. The victim follows, but the perpetrator then slams on the brakes before the victim can brake too, causing a rear-end
210:
for auto insurance, insurance companies are required to pay up to $ 10,000 per person for medical treatment, regardless of who is at fault. Florida has since passed specific legislation (Florida
Statutes 817.234) against faking a car crash in order to receive insurance money.
112:
occurs when a suspect driver uses a pre-damaged vehicle, drives it to a public location and falsely reports being involved in a hit and run accident. The police are often called to verify damages.
214:
Other states have passed or are eyeing diverse legislation targeting efforts by gangs to bring in real and fake crash passengers to lodge phone crash-injury claims. At least 15 states and the
556:
740:
383:
618:
155:
310:
47:
457:
334:
667:
763:
Goldblatt, Howard. "Laws solicit jail for soliciting crash fraud", "Journal of
Insurance Fraud in America", Spring 2012, pg.23
206:
and is the most expensive state for auto insurance. Being a no-fault insurance state that requires a certain amount of
581:
185:
106:
making the victim look careless and guilty. The scheme is mostly employed where cars are merging, or in parking lots.
35:
531:
643:
203:
31:. The cars generally suffer little damage in relation to the large demand that is then fraudulently submitted.
716:
273:
74:
scheme involves two cars: one swoops in front of the victim car âswooperâ and stops suddenly, causing a
207:
507:
784:
692:
359:
248:
794:
218:
have passed laws targeting runners of crash gangs or soliciting of real auto crash passengers.
198:
In recent years, authorities noted a significant increase in the number of staged accidents in
605:
215:
8:
297:
92:
their insurer. The perpetrator may also drift into the victimâs lane and sideswipe them.
75:
458:"Car Insurance Scams â How to Recognize if You're Involved in One | Freeway Insurance"
163:
167:
119:
202:. The state ranks number one in staged car accidents across the US according to the
62:
were arrested for allegedly stealing over $ 100,000 through staged crash schemes.
789:
28:
483:
408:
27:
is when criminals maneuver unsuspecting motorists into crashes in order to make
779:
59:
55:
432:
298:âDepartment of Insurance Investigators Break up Alleged Staged Accident Ring.â
773:
557:"Intentional motor vehicle crash turned into carjacking in Bear, police say"
384:"'Swoop and Squat': Staged car accidents, insurance fraud rise in L.A."
619:"Case highlights staged car accidents, PIP insurance fraud in Florida"
741:"Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine"
199:
227:
508:"Staged Auto Accident Fraud | National Insurance Crime Bureau"
300:, North Carolina Department of Insurance, September 8, 2011
335:"Swoop & squat: Beware of these insurance fraudsters"
433:"15 Common Car Insurance Scams You Need to Look Out for"
668:"WFTV investigates staged car accidents in central Fla"
717:"Personal Injury Protection (PIP): What Is It? (2023)"
274:"Lawyer Faces Murder Trial in Staging of Car Accident"
38:, staged car crashes are a growing criminal problem.
771:
311:"Insurance fraud escalates during tough times"
152:The examples and perspective in this section
608:, âCompare Van Insuranceâ, February 20, 2018
357:
246:
271:
170:, or create a new section, as appropriate.
582:"Auto Insurance Fraud: What It Costs You"
186:Learn how and when to remove this message
85:collision (usually with no brake lights).
16:Tactic for making a false insurance claim
296:North Carolina Department of Insurance,
65:
644:"Faked Fender Benders Costing You Cash"
641:
579:
772:
358:Craddock, Ashley; Lawrence, Mordecai.
247:Craddock, Ashley; Lawrence, Mordecai.
138:
54:In 2011, a group of seven people in
532:"How to avoid auto insurance fraud"
13:
14:
806:
693:"Florida Car Accident Statistics"
554:
481:
406:
36:Coalition Against Insurance Fraud
484:"6 Types of Car Insurance Fraud"
409:"6 Types of Car Insurance Fraud"
143:
757:
733:
709:
685:
660:
635:
611:
598:
573:
548:
524:
500:
475:
450:
204:National Insurance Crime Bureau
425:
400:
376:
351:
327:
303:
290:
272:O'neill, Ann W. (1996-05-14).
265:
240:
134:
1:
233:
7:
221:
166:, discuss the issue on the
10:
811:
208:personal injury protection
41:
315:Triangle Business Journal
127:"Crash For Cash Scams"
123:treatments or lawsuits.
642:Shepard ⢠â˘, Willard.
606:âCrash For Cash Scamsâ
580:Edmunds (2009-05-13).
72:The "Swoop and Squat"
29:false insurance claims
66:Varieties of the scam
216:District of Columbia
164:improve this section
154:may not represent a
96:The "Start and Stop"
745:www.leg.state.fl.us
648:NBC 6 South Florida
339:PropertyCasualty360
48:Hispanic immigrants
46:In the 1990s, poor
536:www.cooperators.ca
360:"Swoop and Squats"
249:"Swoop and Squats"
76:rear-end collision
697:Esposito Law Firm
604:Charlotte Regis,
387:Los Angeles Times
278:Los Angeles Times
196:
195:
188:
120:ambulance chasing
110:The "Hit and Run"
34:According to the
802:
764:
761:
755:
754:
752:
751:
737:
731:
730:
728:
727:
713:
707:
706:
704:
703:
689:
683:
682:
680:
679:
664:
658:
657:
655:
654:
639:
633:
632:
630:
629:
623:Orlando Sentinel
615:
609:
602:
596:
595:
593:
592:
577:
571:
570:
568:
567:
561:The News Journal
555:Parra, Esteban.
552:
546:
545:
543:
542:
528:
522:
521:
519:
518:
504:
498:
497:
495:
494:
479:
473:
472:
470:
469:
462:Knowledge Center
454:
448:
447:
445:
444:
429:
423:
422:
420:
419:
404:
398:
397:
395:
394:
380:
374:
373:
371:
370:
355:
349:
348:
346:
345:
331:
325:
324:
322:
321:
307:
301:
294:
288:
287:
285:
284:
269:
263:
262:
260:
259:
244:
191:
184:
180:
177:
171:
147:
146:
139:
116:"Shady Helpers"
89:The "Sideswipe"
82:The "Panic Stop"
810:
809:
805:
804:
803:
801:
800:
799:
785:Insurance fraud
770:
769:
768:
767:
762:
758:
749:
747:
739:
738:
734:
725:
723:
715:
714:
710:
701:
699:
691:
690:
686:
677:
675:
666:
665:
661:
652:
650:
640:
636:
627:
625:
617:
616:
612:
603:
599:
590:
588:
578:
574:
565:
563:
553:
549:
540:
538:
530:
529:
525:
516:
514:
506:
505:
501:
492:
490:
482:Posey, Mariah.
480:
476:
467:
465:
456:
455:
451:
442:
440:
431:
430:
426:
417:
415:
407:Posey, Mariah.
405:
401:
392:
390:
382:
381:
377:
368:
366:
356:
352:
343:
341:
333:
332:
328:
319:
317:
309:
308:
304:
295:
291:
282:
280:
270:
266:
257:
255:
245:
241:
236:
224:
192:
181:
175:
172:
161:
148:
144:
137:
68:
44:
17:
12:
11:
5:
808:
798:
797:
792:
787:
782:
766:
765:
756:
732:
708:
684:
659:
634:
610:
597:
572:
547:
523:
499:
474:
449:
424:
399:
375:
350:
326:
302:
289:
264:
238:
237:
235:
232:
231:
230:
223:
220:
194:
193:
158:of the subject
156:worldwide view
151:
149:
142:
136:
133:
132:
131:
124:
113:
107:
100:
93:
86:
79:
67:
64:
60:South Carolina
43:
40:
25:crash for cash
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
807:
796:
795:Insurance law
793:
791:
788:
786:
783:
781:
778:
777:
775:
760:
746:
742:
736:
722:
718:
712:
698:
694:
688:
673:
669:
663:
649:
645:
638:
624:
620:
614:
607:
601:
587:
583:
576:
562:
558:
551:
537:
533:
527:
513:
509:
503:
489:
485:
478:
463:
459:
453:
438:
434:
428:
414:
410:
403:
388:
385:
379:
365:
361:
354:
340:
336:
330:
316:
312:
306:
299:
293:
279:
275:
268:
254:
250:
243:
239:
229:
226:
225:
219:
217:
212:
209:
205:
201:
190:
187:
179:
169:
165:
159:
157:
150:
141:
140:
128:
125:
121:
118:is a form of
117:
114:
111:
108:
104:
103:The "Wave-In"
101:
97:
94:
90:
87:
83:
80:
77:
73:
70:
69:
63:
61:
57:
52:
49:
39:
37:
32:
30:
26:
22:
759:
748:. Retrieved
744:
735:
724:. Retrieved
720:
711:
700:. Retrieved
696:
687:
676:. Retrieved
674:. 2013-12-24
671:
662:
651:. Retrieved
647:
637:
626:. Retrieved
622:
613:
600:
589:. Retrieved
585:
575:
564:. Retrieved
560:
550:
539:. Retrieved
535:
526:
515:. Retrieved
512:www.nicb.org
511:
502:
491:. Retrieved
487:
477:
466:. Retrieved
464:. 2022-08-24
461:
452:
441:. Retrieved
439:. 2022-09-09
436:
427:
416:. Retrieved
412:
402:
391:. Retrieved
389:. 2014-05-23
386:
378:
367:. Retrieved
364:Mother Jones
363:
353:
342:. Retrieved
338:
329:
318:. Retrieved
314:
305:
292:
281:. Retrieved
277:
267:
256:. Retrieved
253:Mother Jones
252:
242:
213:
197:
182:
173:
153:
126:
115:
109:
102:
95:
88:
81:
71:
53:
51:this fraud.
45:
33:
24:
21:staged crash
20:
18:
721:MarketWatch
437:FinanceBuzz
135:Legislation
774:Categories
750:2023-02-05
726:2023-02-05
702:2023-02-05
678:2023-02-05
653:2023-02-05
628:2023-02-05
591:2023-02-05
566:2023-02-05
541:2023-02-05
517:2023-02-05
493:2023-02-05
468:2023-02-05
443:2023-02-05
418:2023-02-05
393:2023-02-05
369:2023-02-05
344:2023-02-05
320:2023-02-05
283:2023-02-05
258:2023-02-05
234:References
99:collision.
176:July 2015
168:talk page
488:Bankrate
413:Bankrate
222:See also
162:You may
586:Edmunds
200:Florida
42:History
790:Crimes
228:Pengci
780:Fraud
56:North
23:, or
672:WFTV
58:and
776::
743:.
719:.
695:.
670:.
646:.
621:.
584:.
559:.
534:.
510:.
486:.
460:.
435:.
411:.
362:.
337:.
313:.
276:.
251:.
19:A
753:.
729:.
705:.
681:.
656:.
631:.
594:.
569:.
544:.
520:.
496:.
471:.
446:.
421:.
396:.
372:.
347:.
323:.
286:.
261:.
189:)
183:(
178:)
174:(
160:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.