Police in Wales have made a further 6 arrests in connection with a car insurance scam increasing the total number of arrests to 40. All those under investigation have since been released on police bail.
These arrests have been made under the Operation Dino investigation involving a ‘cash for crash’ insurance fraud. Fraudsters are believed to have made up bogus crashes involving cars and then submitted insurance claims.
The Insurance Fraud Bureau and police investigate car insurance fraud.
The police investigation is being undertaken by South Wales Police, Gwent Police and the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) in a combined effort.
The insurance scam had been run from a garage in Pengam, Blackwood originally called ‘St David’s Crash Repair’ but its name was changed to ‘EASIFIX’. The business has since ceased to trade.
The officer in charge of Operation Dino is Detective Chief Inspector Jeremy Rogers who stated: “Motor Insurance fraud is not a victimless crime and law abiding motorists pick up the bill for fraudsters. Pre-planned scams cost the motor insurance industry and policyholders millions of pounds every year and our job is to bring those involved to justice.”
He also added that they suspected more people were involved in the car insurance scam and he encouraged those individuals to come forward before the police catch up with them. He also said that if a member of the public suspected someone of insurance fraud they could report them to the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) on 0800 422 0421.
Ben Fletcher who is the Head of Operations with the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB), pointed out that the arrests gave a clear indication of how the police and the insurance industry were determined to deal with such cases of organised insurance fraud. Apparently about £50 per annum is added to each car insurance policy holder’s bills because of fraudulent insurance activity.
The IFB are currently dealing with 36 live operations around the country with a collective value of over £60 million.
