Suspected ‘CRASH FOR CASH’ footage caught on London taxi dashcam as man launches himself at black cab
A London taxi driver has captured dashcam footage of a man throwing himself onto the bonnet of his vehicle in what appears to be a ‘crash for cash’ scam.
The footage shows the black cab driving along Euston Road, near Kings Cross Station, when the incident occurred.
The video reveals a man dressed in white standing by the central reservation, seemingly waiting for the right moment. As the taxi approaches in slow-moving traffic, the man steps out, locking eyes with the vehicle, before deliberately hurling himself onto the bonnet. He lies motionless on the ground with his arms raised, seemingly feigning injury, while the taxi comes to an immediate stop.
This scam, known as ‘crash for cash’, involves fraudsters intentionally causing collisions or pretending to be hit by vehicles, with the aim of making fraudulent injury claims. It often targets motorists, particularly those driving taxis and private hire vehicles, who are believed to have strong insurance cover. Fraudsters typically fake injuries and claim compensation from insurers for damages and personal harm.
Taxi drivers are particularly vulnerable to these schemes as they regularly navigate congested roads where such incidents can easily be staged. However, dashcams are proving to be an essential tool in protecting drivers from these false claims. By recording incidents, drivers can provide clear evidence that counters the fraudulent accounts given by the scammers.
In this case, the dashcam footage could play a crucial role in defending the driver against any false injury claim. Insurers and authorities rely on such evidence to expose scammers and prevent unjust payouts, which ultimately help to keep insurance premiums from rising.
As the frequency of these scams increases, both drivers and insurers are urged to stay vigilant.
