ROmans fraud usually conjures up images of people being cheated out of their life savings by partners they meet on dating sites, but some scammers use a different tactic: tricking unsuspecting victims into fake insurance claims.
This scam involves the fraudster tricking their partner or someone they are dating into saying they witnessed a car accident or taking out an insurance policy and filing a bogus claim to get paid.
The Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB), a UK body that works for insurers, says that while many cases have been identified in the past year, some victims may not have reported the incidents.
Nicola Smith, intelligence and investigation manager at the IFB, said this may be because the scam is not directly focused on exploiting the victim for money.
“A common reason it’s underreported is the shame surrounding the condition,” she says. “But this strategy is different, the goal is not to make a big financial impact. They’re not being asked for money. They’re being asked to use their identity.”
Last year, a man who manipulated women he met on dating sites into car crashes was jailed for 20 months at Bournemouth Crown Court.
Nathan Atkins convinces women to participate in planned crashes at specific locations. They then make personal injury claims, which are paid out by insurers.
Although this has little financial impact on the victim, they are at risk of being placed on the insurance fraud register. This makes it very difficult to get another insurance policy and affects their credit score.
“What you aim for is your identity,” Smith says. “And if you’re complicit in this, it’s important to know that you’re committing fraud along with them.”
This is how it looks
They think they can convince the scammer’s victims to participate in the fraud, not because they have savings. “You don’t have to have a lot of money to fall for this scam because all they need is your identity,” Smith said. “What they want from you is your agreement to participate in the scam.”
At some point the victim may be asked to participate in insurance fraud by saying they witnessed the accident; or they were in the car when the accident happened; Or they were injured in an accident.
Often, the scammer will explain to the victim a script or something they need to follow. “Would it be arranged to answer a phone call from an insurance company asking, ‘Are you a passenger in this car?'” Smith said.
“But ultimately, in order to directly participate in the scam, you’re being asked to lie to the insurer.”
what to do
If you meet someone on a dating app who asks you to engage in any illegal activity, report that person on the app.
Screenshots can be sent to the police and the Service Report Fraud.
The Insurance Fraud Bureau maintains a cheatline, a confidential online tool for reporting fraud.
As with many scams, the scammer often uses a sense of urgency to get you to act quickly and make decisions you wouldn’t normally make in different situations. If someone needs your help urgently, the IFB says you should contact emergency services. If they refuse, be careful and end the conversation.
