Insurance Fraud is a Felony

13 Automobile Collisions Automobile fraud often involves organized criminal rings. Staged auto collisions follow several basic schemes including: • Sudden Stop - The driver of the vehicle in front of you stops suddenly for no reason, causing you to rear-end the vehicle. • Swoop and Squat - A fast moving vehicle swoops in front of the vehicle in front of you, causing that vehicle to brake suddenly, causing you to collide into the “victim” vehicle. A third vehicle has also forced you to remain in your lane so that you cannot avoid the collision. • Stuffed Passengers - Passengers who were not in the vehicle at the time of the collision. • Right of Way Collision - An on-coming driver gives you the right of way and waits for you to enter the roadway, and then purposely causes a collision. If you have been in an auto collision, be cautious of any unsolicited referral to an auto body shop, law office or medical office. Consumers should also be cautious of any auto body or repair facility that makes referrals to medical or legal offices. Organized collision rings and “cappers” actively solicit others in the community to participate in “paper collisions.” These collisions only exist on paper and generally innocent parties are not involved. Paper collisions have gained popularity among fraud perpetrators, as they are less dangerous from a bodily injury standpoint, and there is less likelihood of police involvement.