讀後心得

Los Angeles ABC 7 reported that a recently viral video on TikTok shows a driver in New York deliberately slowing down and colliding with a victim's vehicle, resulting in $8,000 in damages. This incident has raised public awareness about insurance fraud. Similar cases are frequently seen in Southern California, where tactics like sudden stops and drivers blocking vehicles are used, with fraudsters exploiting fake accidents to claim insurance money. California Department of Insurance official Hood stated that over 20,000 fraud cases are reported annually, some of which have even led to fatalities. Fraudulent activities in the area are escalating and are often linked to organized crime. Experts recommend installing dash cams and emphasize that it is essential to report any suspicious accidents to the police.

A video from Los Angeles that became very popular on TikTok has sparked widespread attention. The footage shows a New York driver suddenly slowing down and stopping in front of the victim's vehicle, then quickly reversing to crash into the car, resulting in $8,000 in damages. This is suspected to be a case of insurance fraud, and similar incidents are quite common in Southern California, where methods such as sudden braking collisions, driver blockages, and unscrupulous accomplices are used by scammers to obtain car insurance compensation. Local insurance officials have pointed out that Southern California seems to have become a hotspot for fraudulent crimes, receiving over 20,000 fraud cases annually, with some people even losing their lives because of it.

One particularly serious incident occurred in 1997, caused by a fraudulent group that specialized in staging fake car accidents, resulting in the deaths of a family’s parents and daughter. This case prompted California to enact new regulations in 1999 to address the issue of insurance fraud. According to investigations, the ultimate goal of fraudulent cases is to earn insurance payouts, which can be a considerable income for the involved lawyers and parties.

Police have indicated that fraudulent activities are often related to organized crime groups, which recruit temporary drivers or passengers to inflate the compensation amounts. Additionally, the methods of fraud are diverse, with the most common being spinal treatments at clinics, where patients may not actually visit the clinic frequently but will falsely report the number of visits to increase the compensation amount.

• Sudden braking collision: Another car deliberately cuts in front of the victim's vehicle, then suddenly brakes, causing the victim driver to collide, making it appear that the victim is at fault.
• Driver blockage: Typically occurring in urban areas, where a car deliberately blocks traffic, making it difficult for the victim's vehicle to avoid a collision.

Some cases are even more severe, such as in Yucca Valley, where a suspect uploaded his fake accident process online. The man applied for as many as 23 claims within two years, fraudulently obtaining over $100,000 in insurance money, and ultimately received only a year and a half sentence, along with a permanent loss of his driver's license. There are also some fake accidents that are conspired by multiple suspects; a recent incident occurred in Ontario, where five suspects intentionally caused two cars to collide, which was captured entirely by surveillance cameras.

Investigating similar cases is extremely challenging due to limited resources. The insurance department faces staffing shortages and cannot comprehensively handle all cases. Investigations often uncover more fraudulent activities, such as a highway patrol officer being exposed for secretly selling accident reports to repair shops. These repair shops then contact vehicle owners under false pretenses in an attempt to charge exorbitant fees.

If you suspect you have encountered a fake accident, it is advisable to install a dashcam as important evidence, and to report the accident to the police immediately, especially on the highway, in order to generate an official accident report and prevent subsequent problems.