Police unaware of '˜crash for cash' scam in Peterborough targeting lone women drivers, but promise to investigate any incidents

Peterborough Telegraph readers have told us they believe they were nearly victims of the fraud, where a car full of men suddenly brake on a roundabout despite there being no traffic oncoming, causing a crash.

The men appear to be targeting lone women drivers in order to make fraudulent insurance claims.

The fraud has been taking place in Northamptonshire but police there said they do not typically handle these types of issues because they are considered insurance fraud and are therefore primarily managed by insurance companies.

However, a Cambridgeshire police spokeswoman said the force would investigate similar incidents happening here, although she added that police were not aware of any happening anywhere in the county.

Casualty reduction officer PC Jon Morris said: “There is a legal requirement for anyone involved in a collision to stop, exchange details and, in cases where someone has been injured, report it to police.

“We would advise motorists to record as many details as possible including the registration number, make, model and colour of the vehicle involved. It’s also worth considering installing a dash camera as this can be passed to the insurance company.”

On the PT’s Facebook page, Elizabeth Parkins wrote: “Thanks for highlighting this. There was an attempt to ram my car at Maskew Avenue roundabout on Sunday by a group of men in a dark blue car. Fortunately they didn’t succeed.

“I didn’t understand what was happening at first. I thought they were bad drivers rather than a deliberate scam.”

Kim Calera said: “This happened to my hubby the other day as well. They kept slamming on their brakes and hubby knew exactly what they were trying to do. With children in the car as well.

“These fools are not only committing fraud they’re endangering lives and scaring children.”

One reader called Mrs Harris said the scam happened to her on Monday night on the Thorney Bypass.

She said: “I was turning left and he appeared to be going straight on. I looked right and nothing was coming so he entered the roundabout.

“I looked right again. It was still clear so I started to enter the roundabout and he slammed his breaks on. I slammed mine on just in time thankfully.

“I was shaken and was too busy asking my children in the back if they were okay. It all happened so quickly. But then the car moved on and I carried on my way home which thankfully wasn’t far.”

Gang of drivers deliberately causing crashes with women drivers as part of insurance scam reported in Peterborough