I was recently parking in a busy lot and another driver claimed I dinged her car but I know I didn’t. Now she’s involving insurance — what can I do?

Picture this: You park at your local mall and as you get out of your car, a woman standing in front of the car next to yours exclaims you just hit her car with your door.

You declare that you didn’t hit her vehicle, but she’s angry and starts taking photos of your license plate and says she’s going to make an insurance claim.

You’ve had a minor accident and a couple door-ding claims in the past. You aren’t sure how to navigate the situation with your own insurer and wonder if they’ll believe you since your driving record isn’t pristine.

While it’s likely it was all just a misunderstanding and the woman’s car was already damaged, you could be dealing with a scammer who staged or faked car damage to receive an insurance claim payout. (1)

The National Insurance Crime Bureau reports that insurance fraud is second only to tax evasion when it comes to costly white-collar crimes, amounting to billions of dollars every year in the U.S. (2) Staged auto accidents are common. (3)

If you find yourself in this situation, blamed for an accident you didn’t cause, it’s easy to feel anxious and second-guess yourself. Here are some tips on how to handle it.

How to react at the scene

Dealing with an angry driver and false accusations can make for a stressful situation, but try to stay clear and calm to avoid looking defensive or guilty.

Document everything. Take photos of your car and theirs. Get closeup shots of the damage they claim you did.

Grab wider photos of the area that show parking spots or any obstacles.

Check for nearby security cameras and gather any witnesses that might have been in the parking lot during the time of the incident and get their contact information. (4)

Exchange insurance information but do not admit fault, even if they show you a damage spot or scratch on their car. (5)

After that point, it’s between your insurance and their insurance to determine fault.

When to call your insurance company

Call your own insurer immediately. While you might want to lay low, it’s in your best interest to be proactive with your insurer.

Legally, many policies require you to notify your insurer of any potential incident or claim. If you don’t and are later found to be at fault, they could deny you coverage. (6)