Just about everybody doing the business? Explaining 'cash-for-crash' insurance fraud in the United Kingdom. Issue 2 (June 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Button, Mark; Brooks, Graham; Lewis, Chris; Aleem, Azeem
• Is Part Of: Australian & New Zealand journal of criminology. Volume 50:Issue 2(2017:Aug.)
• Page Start: 176
• Page End: 194
• Publication Date: 2017-06
• Subjects: Insurance fraud -- 'cash-for-crash' -- offenders -- motivation -- profile; Criminology -- Australia -- Periodicals; Criminology -- New Zealand -- Periodicals; Criminology -- Periodicals; Criminal justice, Administration of -- Australia -- Periodicals; Criminal justice, Administration of -- New Zealand -- Periodicals; Criminal justice, Administration of -- Periodicals; 364.099
• DOI: 10.1177/0004865816638910
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0004-8658

Abstract

There is much international research on the different types of fraud committed by individuals and/or organised crime. There is, however, limited research on insurance fraud and a particular species of such fraud which has become known as 'cash-for-crash' fraud in the United Kingdom. In addition, there are very few published studies of fraudsters which actually draw upon interviews with them. This article bridges both of these gaps providing a focus upon 'cash-for-crash' fraudsters which is based upon empirical research drawn from six interviews with such offenders and a database of over 400 offenders built upon successful prosecutions of such cases in the United Kingdom. This article offers a profile of such offenders and presents insights into why and how some people might become involved in 'cash-for-crash' type frauds.