Accident scams

Have You Been Scammed?

Believe it or not, there are con men out to wreck your car! They literally have choreographed auto accident scams they practice and use to take your money. There are several types of these scams to avoid:

The T-Bone  

The scam artist will wait for your car to go through an intersection and then accelerated and "t-bone" your car. When the police arrive, phony witnesses will swear you were the one who ran the stop sign or red light, putting you at fault. 

The Wave  This is used in heavy traffic. When you are trying to switch lanes, the scam artist will wave you over, then gun the gas and hit your car. When the police show up, they will deny waving you over and explain that you just whipped over and hit them, putting you at fault. 

Swoop and Stop  A car will suddenly pull in front of you and stop. Another car will pull up along side of you at the same time, keeping you from being able to swerve. False witnesses will file personal injury claims, using a shady dr. or chiropractor. Others may go to a real doctor and claim whiplash or another type of "soft tissue" injury that is very hard to prove/disprove.

False Endorsement

Following an accident, a scam artist will provide contact numbers to an alleged five- star repair shop, a powerful lawyer or a caring doctor. Each, in league with the scammer, will overcharge you for the services you may or may not have needed in the first place.

Protect Yourself! 

The more information you provide/require, the less able the scam artist to take advantage. Always take pictures of the accident (your phone should work fine for this). Take a picture of the license plate and ever angle of the damage on both cars. Keep pen and paper in your car. Get the following information from all drivers involved:

* Driver's license number

* Vehicle registration info

*. Car Insurance

* Name, address and phone number
Always call the police, especially if you suspect anything fishy. And be careful what personal information you disclose. Identity theft is another scam you want to avoid!