You’ve just had a car accident and it is hard to tell who is at fault, that’s a tough situation to be in. But have you thought about the scamming villain? What if someone purposefully crashed into you to rob you or make it look as if it was your fault? Do you know how to recognize these scams? Let’s look at some of the popular car crash scams in South Africa:

 

1. Another Bang To Make Bank

A popular car crash scam in South Africa has become the forced crash. Have you ever been driving behind a car that curiously slows down forcing you to slow down too? If this happens to you please keep your eyes peeled. Once you slow down another car will pull in front of you and break abruptly causing you to crash into their car. South Africa has been rated the 42nd most dangerous road in the world, make sure you have the right car insurance cover, Taryn compared car insurance with MoneyPanda & we gave her multiple quotes from multiple providers:

car insurance quotes comparison in south africa

I know what you are thinking… “but then the car accident isn’t my fault”, well the actually the law states if you crash into a car, no matter what the story is, you are responsible for the car accident and damages incurred.

How to Avoid the Scam:

It’s a well-known thing to be vigilant of the cars around you but if someone rapidly slows down in front of you remember this scenario and back off as much as you possibly can. We often get home and think, “how did I get here, it’s like I was on auto-pilot”. This happens to all of us and this is usually when these scams happen, late at night when no one is around. Keep away from scam hotspots and make note of listed area’s. Read our article:

Hijacking In SA: When, Where & Which Carsread more The Panda

Another tip, Dash Cams! Yes, these aren’t just the latest trending accessories for the funny YouTube video aficionados. Dash Cams have become accessories of untold value. Having this recorded may help your case should you ever be in a situation where you need to prove what really happened.

2. The Fake non – Merge

It’s not unheard of for a car to “break down” in a very dangerous spot on the road. Namely highway merging lanes or entry’s onto a very busy main road. In light of this, we have noticed less than honest people have been slowing down in these areas and encouraging drivers behind them to overtake them. When you try to overtake them, the scam artist then speeds up, causing you to crash into them when merging.

How to Avoid This Scam:  

Don’t listen to anyone else’s advice on the road, only when you see it’s safe to drive, do so. Rather keep a safe distance and merge when it is safe, make sure you have enough time in the other lane to get good distance between you and the other car.

3. The False Sense of Security

When we are involved in an accident, especially when we are alone, we are looking for help, we are looking for someone that we can trust. The problem comes in when strangers stop to help but they may have an agenda. These shady folks offer up the fact that they are either insurance brokers, medical physicians or people in a position to help with your situation. This is bogus! They will acquire your details and use it illegally to lay fake claims against your insurance or bank. Have you been worried that you are paying too much for your car insurance? Get an online quick quote within 5 minutes and check out how much you should be paying for car insurance:

compare car insurance with MoneyPanda

How to avoid this:

Be aware! Be very aware! Trust no one other than your trusted insurance provider, lawyer and official bank personnel. This can be a very stressful situation. It’s to be expected. So make sure you have an emergency contact that will come out and help you should you be in a car accident.