Are You Ready for the Swoop and Squat When You're Driving?
Posted on: 16 December 2018
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If you think that the "swoop and squat" is some kind of dance move or the latest trend in the gym, then you may not have been paying too much attention to the news recently. An increasing number of people are falling victim to this crime, where a team of fraudsters stage a car crash on purpose, involving you. It pays to be aware of their tactics and to know what to do, should you be singled out as their next victim.
Teamwork
Insurance fraud is an unfortunate fact of life, and it's quite difficult to stamp out completely. These individuals know that, and understand that if they work in a hunting pack, they can divide the proceeds between them. Ultimately, they want the insurance company to pay out for the damage "caused by" you, but eventually this money will be charged back to consumers in the form of higher premiums.
Preparation Is Key
It's also unfortunate that these people are quite good at their craft. They will travel in separate cars, communicating via radio, and will typically target new cars, as they can expect the insurance level to be higher. They may want to target women who are driving alone,or elderly people, because there is likely to be less confrontation at the scene.
Watch Carefully
To set up the sting, there are two cars involved. The first one will make its way in front of yours while you're driving down the motorway, while the other one will be positioned behind. The car to your rear will travel too closely behind yours, in an attempt to encourage you to do the same. They will then pass you quickly and pull in front of their accomplice before braking sharply. As you can imagine, the concertina effect will cause you to rear-end the bad guy.
What Just Happened?
It may sound quite complicated, but it's not that difficult to set up, and it can be over in the blink of an eye. Certainly, if you're not aware of this technique, then you may not realise that you have been caught up in it and could simply blame yourself for not paying attention.
What to Do
Of course, you should always try and stay out of trouble on the road and never follow any vehicle too closely. However, if you think that you've been involved in this type of operation, try to get the details of the third car as well. Then, when you get an experienced solicitor on your side, they may be able to dig into the case more deeply and unmask the criminals.