Criminology In The News | Insurance Fraud

According to a leading motor insurance firm, there has been a rise in fraudulent accident claims in the UK due to the use of technology. Allianz Insurance has claimed a 300% increase in the use of photo-editing software in vehicle accident claims between the period 2021-2023.

Allianz claims that some claimants are using ‘shallow fake’ software to edit images that are sent to insurance companies accompanying claims of damage to vehicles. A feature of insurance claims is that individuals are required to supply proof of an accident or damage to a vehicle. In the past, this involved fraudsters deliberately crashing into other cars to make claims for damage and injury on their car insurance, but the growth of photo-editing technology has meant that photos or cars can be edited to look like they have been in a crash, with fake invoices supplied for work not carried out, this use of technology benefits fraudsters.

Further reports of individuals making claims on ‘total loss’ cars from salvage yards are another way that fraudsters are using technology – copying their registration onto cars that have been written off for insurance purposes and falsifying documents that show they owned the car.

Find out more by looking at the article below from the Guardian (2/5/2024) and answer the questions below.

https://www.theguardian.com/bu...

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS!

1. How would you categorise the crime committed according to the different categories in AC 1.1 of Unit 1?
2. What advances does the article claim are to cause the rise in this type of crime?
3. What are the impacts of this crime on motorists and insurance companies?
4. Why might this crime be less likely to be reported? Use evidence in the article.
5. Identify one way that this type of crime can be tackled.