In other instances, no one arrived at the accident scene and officers simply packed up their equipment and restaged traffic incidents elsewhere.
“[If] you’re involved in an accident, [and] somebody pulls up and starts offering services, don’t do it, because it’s going to be a scam,” Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Rafael Lola told WSVN Channel 7 News in Miami.
Florida drivers should be wary of those showing up to accident scenes uninvited
In Florida, it’s illegal for personnel masquerading as unauthorized towing operators to solicit victims at the scene of a traffic accident. Florida law also specifies that crash reports are confidential for the first 60 days after the report is filed, meaning attorneys cannot contact accident victims until that time passes. Accident victims who were illegally solicited are free to switch their legal services.
WSVN Channel 7 News reported that Florida police were able to detain two men who had been carrying out the ploy. The same Florida authorities said that the men had police scanners in the car that allowed them to hear local police chatter in real time.
Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Detective Samantha Choon told WSVN that they were working hard to prevent residents from falling into further scams.
Florida police warned drivers to reject any solicitations from anyone who shows up at a crash scene unless they had been specifically contacted for aid, such as a towing service. Drivers were advised to avoid signing contracts or other waivers.
The Florida Highway Patrol and Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office did not respond to Moneywise’s request for comment in time for publication.
Other types of accident scams
The National Insurance Crime Bureau has listed other types of fraudulent activities that drivers should be wary of. For example, “caused accidents” lead drivers to fall victim to someone who has planned an intentional collision, such as waiting for a driver to be distracted or using several vehicles to box in a victim.
Engineering staged traffic accidents can be a profitable business, especially when organized crime rings are involved. These accidents have cost the insurance industry at least $20 billion per year, according to the Washington Legal Foundation, a legal policy center.
Joseph Zeballos-Roig is a policy and politics journalist based in Washington D.C with a focus on economics. He is experienced in connecting the significance of events in the capital to the lives of everyday Americans whether its taxes, tariffs, interest rates or federal programs.
