Car Insurance Scams You Need to Beware Of
From bogus injuries to inauthentic damaged auto parts, car insurance scammers are slowly growing in the Philippines. And while this shouldn’t deter you from getting the best vehicle insurance package available, you also need to stay vigilant against these crooks. They love to prey on unsuspecting and vulnerable people after all. Below are the most common car insurance scams in the country.
The Fake Good Samaritan
Having a Good Samaritan stop by and help you during your car troubles is always a blessing. However, not all Good Samaritans you happen to cross paths with during emergency situations are real. In fact, some of them might be wolves in sheep’s clothing, intent on doing you bodily harm or making away with some of your stuff. That’s why as much as possible, you need to wait for the authorities in case your vehicle died on you.
The Crash-for-Cash Modus
You’ve probably heard of road incidents wherein a motorist gets “rear-ended” by another so the latter can extort cash from the former for auto repairs and medical bills. While there are moments when this is truly the case, there are some situations where the so-called victim is actually the perpetrator. You see, most rear-end collisions are the fault of the driver behind. Scammers take advantage of this fact by positioning themselves in front of their target and abruptly hitting the brakes. Watch out for these people.
The Hood Jumper
The Hood Jumper modus involves the scammer throwing themselves in front of your moving car and pretending that you hit them. They would then demand financial assistance from you for the injuries you “caused.” to avoid being bagged by these types of crooks, install a dash cam in your car interior. That way, you’ll have proof that you didn’t hit them.
The Grand Schemer
The grand schemer doesn’t just aim for your money; they want to ruin your reputation, too. Here’s an example on how they do it. Say you’re an intersection, and the crook has the right-of-way at the other side of the road. He’ll “forego” his right-of-way and waves you to proceed first. But as soon as you crossed the intersection, he’ll ram the side of your car until you’re pinned with the other vehicles in the intersection. Afterwards, he’ll claim that you broke the right-of-way rules, making it look like the accident is your fault.
How to Effectively Avoid These Scams
Many ill-meaning people today would go through great (and often unjust) lengths just to get cash. But by being a responsible and shrewd motorist, you’ll be able to detect these scammers before they strike.
