Anybody been cash for crash scammed?

The wifey had a fender bender this afternoon on a 50 limit A road. car in front of car in front stopped suddenly.

Wife’s car crashes into car in front of her.

Car at the front drives off.

Here’s the odd bit, chap who wife crashed into looks like he’s not going to stop either. Then does stop but as he can’t see any damage to either car, doesn’t want to exchange details, but does reluctantly. Also says that he hit the car in front of him. So why did it drive off.

All most odd. Clearly she should have left enough space so this isn’t a question about is she at fault for hitting the chap in front of her.

I can’t help thinking it feels like a classic cash for crash, right up until there bit where the guy in front doesn’t get out of the car holding his neck and screaming whiplash injury and demanding insurance details.

Maybe he is genuinely a laid back guy. But still doesn’t really explain why the car in front didn’t stop. And if it is cash for crash what is their strategy, to report the Reg number and claim that the person who hit them just drove off.

Did his brake lights illuminate?

Yes they were working including eye level one.

They will claim latter, and that the car was full of people now needing compensation. As you can not clearly state that it was just one or two people.

Sounds similar to my mum’s experience. Her insurers had to stump up for injuries to multiple occupants of the car she hit, which had 2 people in when she hit it, and some ‘witnesses’ also strangely emerged after the event. Scum!

Possibly the driver wasn’t insured (in the car at the front) or thought he was over the limit

You’re right to be suspicious, but I also think there are a lot of oddballs on the roads.

I had a weird on on Sunday – waiting to turn left at a roundabout. Two cars side by side entering roundabout to my right, one car signalling right and in right lane, left car signalling left and in left lane, who also flashes me out.
I start to pull out into left lane to go left.
I suddenly find both cars are actually going straight on and accelerating very hard, and I only missed by a few centimetres as my car has auto braking which (violently) kicked in.

The ‘left’ car then just sat blocking me while passenger winds down window and looks to see if I’ve hit them, and waves at the ‘right’ car in front who has stopped also.

So two cars who know each other, both indicating incorrectly and accelerating into trouble…?

I had almost the exact opposite to the OP yesterday…

I was stopped to let traffic through at a bit where the road narrows and cars are parked down one side.

I’m looking in my mirror at the car behind thinking ‘ooh, he’s getting a bit close.’ So close in fact he hit my rear end!
Luckily pretty slow impact.

Get out to have a look and my car is fine, as he’s hit my towbar, but he’s cracked his front bumper 😆

He then spent a while trying to persuade me to give him my insurance details. Which I refused, as in my view he was the driver at fault, and I don’t want my premiums being hiked by him calling my insurers.

Now correct me if I’m wrong, but he hit me in the rear, I was stationary, and no-one was hurt, so I was not obliged to give him my details was I?

so I was not obliged to give him my details was I?

I kinda think you were.

I kinda think you were.

Even if he hit me, and there is no damage to my car?
I he called my insurers then I’ll get a price hike – bugger that!

But equally, he’s obliged to share his, too. . .

I was not obliged to give him my details was I?

Yes you are.

Yeah, but I didn’t want his details!
Oh well, he buggered off in the end.
Unless he memorised my number or had a dash-cam then I’m not sure there’ll be any comeback.

…and thinking about it all dash-cam footage would prove was that he drove into a stationary vehicle.

Unless he memorised my number or had a dash-cam then I’m not sure there’ll be any comeback.

Yes, but it is you who are flirting with committing a criminal offence.

Luckily, you also have 24 hours to report the accident to the police if you do not supply them on the roadside, and I’d recommend you do so.

https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-insurance/if-youre-in-an-accident

Was it an old Ford Sierra? 🙂

PS Also tell your insurer. It’s in the t&cs you signed up to.

Thing is it’s not illegal to hit another car by accident. But by refusing to give insurance details even if you are not at fault you have broken the law as I understand it. And you should still inform your insurers.

Was it an old Ford Sierra

See what you did there 😉

Thing is it’s not illegal to hit another car by accident. But by refusing to give insurance details even if you are not at fault you have broken the law as I understand it.

Oops, oh well, you live and learn.

Come to think of it, my neck’s feeling pretty sore. Might have a bit of whiplash. And the other 3 people in the car with me.

And you should still inform your insurers.

Who will be less than impressed if they’re phoned up by his insurance company claiming your failure to supply details. If he gets in first with a story about how you’d gone too far into the narrow bit, met oncoming traffic and then reversed into him (and then failed to give your details / driven off), it will put your premiums up a lot more than just telling them the truth now.

Unless he memorised my number

Having given it some more thought, you’re right, I can’t believe that anyone could commit to memory such a long sequence of numbers and letters. So you’re definitely in the clear. Disregard all my previous advice. 🙂

Also, unless you can prove it otherwise , you reversed into him deliberately to cause damage to his car in an alcohol fused road rage incident, refused to give him your details as you were too pissed to remember them *

*didn’t happen , but they could tell insurance company anything

Jeez, tough crowd today 😂
I’d forgotten how supportive the STW massive were.

Though based on the advice given, I might err on the side of caution.

You realise that ‘being supportive’ doesn’t just mean offering validation, it can involve well-meaning advice?

Even if he hit me, and there is no damage to my car?
I he called my insurers then I’ll get a price hike – bugger that!

Nothing compared to the price hike from a s170 conviction for failing to provide your details.

Luckily, you also have 24 hours to report the accident to the police if you do not supply them on the roadside, and I’d recommend you do so.

I don’t believe you have to inform the police if there are no injuries, (but you still have to tell the insurance).

I guess it’s possible the driver of the car she hit had the same thought as you aj – he did say car old so he not too
Worried.

It’s gonna be reported to insurance company by us though. no option really as Despite not looking like it our car is damaged (bumpers are springy)

I don’t believe you have to inform the police if there are no injuries, (but you still have to tell the insurance).

This from https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-insurance/if-youre-in-an-accident

If you’re in an accident
If you have an accident causing damage or injury you must give the following to anyone with ‘reasonable grounds for requiring them’, for example an insurance company:

your name and address
the vehicle registration number
You also need to give the owner’s name and address if the vehicle is not yours.

You must report the accident to the police within 24 hours if you do not give your details at the time of the accident.

You must also report the accident to your insurance company, even if you’re not planning to make a claim.

Yeah, that says you only have to report to the police if you don’t give your details at the time. Says the same on this page from Confused.com, so I still don’t think you HAVE to in every case.

It’s probably not a bad idea to report everything mind.

Yeah, that says you only have to report to the police if you don’t give your details at the time.

Absolutely – if he’d handed over his details to the guy who pranged him, there would be no need to inform police.

Ah right, I misunderstood your first point on the matter. In these circumstances, yes the police should be informed.

Surely its name and address not insurance details?