Common Insurance Scams to Be Aware Of
Insurance scams are abundant in an ever-changing, modernizing world. Every day, more and more people fall victim to financial criminals hoping to make a quick buck off an unsuspecting victim. To learn more about fraud schemes, reach out to a San Diego insurance attorney as soon as possible.
The Insurance Scams Plaguing California
Insurance scams take an array of different forms. Through careful planning and a surprising amount of logistics, certain criminals have discovered unique ways to unlawfully get ahold of people’s money and run with it. With the knowledge of the specific scams that endanger everyday Americans, one can better avoid common pitfalls that unsuspecting victims make.
Automobile Accident-Related Insurance Scams
One car insurance-related scam that has been on the rise involves a phantom passenger that claims to be injured during a car accident. Certain car wrecks are minor enough that both parties agree there is no need to contact the police. While normally a relatively positive result of a car accident, there have been cases reported in which someone who was not involved nor injured in the car accident claims that they are subject to a payout due to injuries they sustained. This obviously raises red flags as they were not involved in the accident to begin with.
Car insurance scams are widespread in this day and age as many situations are constructed by individuals hoping for a larger sum by the end of the ordeal. Between exaggerating injury of an involved party to intentionally damaging one’s car before police arise on the scene, some people involved in car accidents may try to stretch the truth or lie altogether to get a little bit more cash by the end of the day.
The Tow-Truck Trick
Another similar automobile scam involves tow trucks that are on the hunt for individuals stranded on the side of the road. These people usually patrol high-risk areas in which people are more likely to break down. After assessing the situation, these tow company posers entice people into signing false contracts that are utilities to help convince the victims to pay large amounts of money for the tow service.
Contractor Scams Found in San Diego, CA
Back home, some fraudsters have been known to be bold enough to show up on people’s doorsteps. Severe weather events in neighborhoods have been known to attract scammers acting as contractors who claim to be passing through the neighborhood in order to offer their services. These people will offer to fix the damage sustained to a house or car in exchange for money. Although seemingly offered under good intentions, these people either provide haphazard-quality work at astronomical rates or take a lowball offer from victims and skip town altogether.
Experienced San Diego Insurance Lawyers
Staying aware of the different types of insurance scams that people are faced with on a day-to-day basis is important as it may save a great deal of time and money. Even so, it is quite difficult to detect all the different types of scams that exist out there so it is not unreasonable to assume that you or your family could unknowingly fall victim. If you have any questions or believe you have a bad faith insurance case, reach out to a San Diego insurance attorney from Dawson & Rosenthal by calling (619) 354-1652.