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Are identity thieves staging car collisions to steal your personal information and your identity? Experts believe so. According to some experts, some identity thieves are staging car accidents – usually minor fender benders – in order to get personal information from a target. The ruse works because after a Miami car accident, victims are usually shaken up and provide more information than is needed. When identity thieves get insurance information, a target’s name, number, address, and other personal information, they often have enough information to steal that person’s identity. With a stolen identity, the thief may be able to access credit card accounts, bank accounts, and other forms of money or may be able to open accounts in a target’s name. To prevent this from happening to you after a Miami truck accident or car accident, follow these expert tips:

1) Be on the alert for signs of a staged accident. If a car seems to have time to avoid a car accident but bumps into you anyway or if you see anything else suspicious, proceed with caution. Document as much as possible – take photos of the other car and be sure to get contact information for the driver and any witnesses.

2) Give out only the minimum information you need to. According to The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), you only need to provide your first and last name and the name and phone number of your insurance company. Giving out your number and your address or other personal details, while seemingly innocent, is enough for someone to pose as you online.

3) Stay calm and be on the lookout for someone trying to get more information than needed. Fraudsters often take advantage of the stress and panic of a Miami car collision to dupe you into providing more information than you need to. It is best to stay calm and only provide the minimum needed. Be wary if someone presses you to provide more identifying information, especially if they ask for things such as birth date and other identifying information. If you do give out personal details, write them out yourself or spell them as the other driver writes them down. Never hand over your driver’s license or other ID – it contains enough information for a fraudster to steal your identity.

4) Check your credit score twice a year, and be careful to check your credit score and credit report after a Miami traffic accident. Your credit report, readily available from any credit agency, will show you if anyone has tried to open a new account in your name. There are three major credit agencies in the US, and you may wish to periodically order a report from each, since each agency has a different way of gathering data.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Florida has the unfortunate distinction of leading the country in staged car accidents and insurance fraud. Unfortunately, many staged Florida car accidents end up costing victims the most. This type of insurance fraud increases insurance costs for all Florida drivers. As well, innocent drivers are often accused of causing an accident so that criminals can claim expensive medical expenses. In many cases, fraudsters will wave a driver to change lanes and liberally cause a car accident. In some cases, fraudsters deliberately slam on the brakes in order to cause a minor car accident. In each of these cases, an innocent driver is unfairly dragged into insurance fraud. In many cases, the fraudster’s cars is filled with passengers, each of whom claim expensive medical costs. Frequently, the fraudsters work with unscrupulous medical experts and other professionals in order to bolster their claims. In some cases, the innocent driver or their passengers are seriously injured due to the staged accident.

According to authorities, there are many things that Florida drivers can do to help avoid becoming involved in a staged car accident:

1) Leave additional space between you and the vehicle in front of you. The car in front of you cannot brake suddenly and cause an accident if you leave adequate space.

2) Be aware if someone waves you to change lanes or merge. While in many cases this is simply a driver being polite, it could also be a fraudster setting you up for a car accident.

3) Be wary when making left-hand turns. Oncoming cars can deliberately accelerate in order to cause a car accident in this way.

4) Never drive distracted. Not only is it more likely to cause a Florida pedestrian accident, car accident, or other traffic accident, but insurance fraudsters often target distracted drivers. Distracted drivers are less likely to notice suspicious behavior on the part of the other driver, making them ideal victims. Distracted drivers are also less likely to react in time in order to avoid a collision and are less likely to notice a deliberate attempt to cause a collision. Stay alert and be aware of the drivers around you.

5) Be aware of drivers driving erratically. They may be driving under the influence, or may be out to deliberately cause an accident.

6) Make sure that you have defensive driving experience and training. Defensive driving can help you avoid an accident, even one that is caused deliberately.

7) If you have been in accident, beware of signs of insurance fraud. If you are offered money to use a specific medical or legal professional, mechanic, or other professional, refuse. Ask for a list of recommended mechanics from an insurer or other trusted professional. Work with an experienced Florida car accident attorney to determine the true cause of an accident and avoid accepting liability or blame for an accident until it can be thoroughly investigated.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Twelve states, including Florida, have no-fault car insurance laws, which allow victims of car accidents to recover damages for car accident quickly through their own insurance companies. In exchange, claims are processed quickly but victims can only sue for suffering and pain in cases of severe accidents. These laws were created to ensure that victims – especially those without medical insurance – could recover money quickly. However, some experts claim that the laws are now broken and are contributing to insurance fraud.

In Florida, drivers must have car insurance to drive and this includes personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. This insurance covers the medical costs of the car’s drivers and passengers up to 000. According to the Consumer Federation of the Southeast, however, this coverage has created some unintended effects, so that Florida is now the nation’s leader in staged car accidents.

According to Walter Dartland of the Consumer Federation of the Southeast, the laws have allowed criminals to steal billions of dollars through staged Florida pedestrian accidents and car accidents – by claiming up to 000 at a time. The problem is so bad that experts claim organized crime is involved, sometimes going so far as to smuggle people into the US to take part in staged Florida car accidents.

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau in Florida, the problem is not so much the law itself as the fact that the system gives people access to money – and anytime there is a possibility of attaining money, there will be a certain element interested in taking advantage of that. Another problem is that it is relatively easy to open a medical clinic in Florida. This allows criminals to work with unscrupulous medical professionals in order to stage Florida car accidents. According to investigators, some of the clinics opened for this purpose provide no medical help at all, but only bill insurance companies.

Florida law requires insurance carriers to pay victims within 30 days of a claim being filed. If insurers fail to pay, healthcare professionals and victims can start legal action against the insurer. In 2010, 2779 suspicious claims in Florida were forwarded to the National Insurance Crime Bureau by insurance companies. This represents a 119% jump in such suspicious cases between 2008 and 2010.

The effects of such fraud are serious. Insurance fraud costs Florida about billion a year and increases the insurance costs for all drivers. In fact, the average family with two cars will pay 0 more annually to cover the losses the insurance industry loses to fraud. There are other, more serious, consequences as well. Even staged Florida car accidents can and do lead to real injuries. When someone stages an accident, they sometimes rear-end other cars or intentionally cause a small accident. Such accidents can still lead to serious brain injuries, whiplash, and other problems for victims. As well, insurance fraud casts doubt on everyone, including real victims of car accidents. Many Florida car accident victims with legitimate injuries find that they have a hard time convincing insurers of their injuries, simply because insurers now look at Florida claims with some built-in suspicion.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog