A Queens woman allegedly caught insurance fraud live on dashcam — silver Honda cut her off, reversed into collision causing $8,300 in damage. Here’s how to protect yourself now

What happened

As the dashcam continued to record, more suspicious behavior unfolded. The backseat passengers can be seen attempting to cover the Honda's rear window as the driver climbs over to the passenger seat before exiting the car, pretending to be injured by holding his head.

"The guy in the video told me that the female was the driver and that she doesn’t speak any English," Natasha said. Both the driver and two passengers can be seen recording the damage with their phones. Then, one of them spots the dash camera in Natasha's car.

“They were rushing to leave,” said Natasha. “They were like, ‘well we have to go, we have to go pick up our baby.’”

As Natasha turned around to check on the car, the passengers reentered the vehicle and drove away. And according to ABC7, the suspects ditched the car later on.

The suspicious behavior she witnessed prompted her to take the evidence to the police. Officers confirmed that these scams are not uncommon. Fraudsters often stage accidents then falsely claim personal injuries or vehicle damages to collect payouts from insurers.

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The mechanics of a staged car accident

Staged accidents are a form of insurance fraud in which perpetrators intentionally cause collisions in an effort to file insurance claims for damages or personal injury. The goal is to make it look like the victim is at fault, forcing their insurance to cover the repairs and any alleged medical expenses.

By reversing into Natasha's car, the fraudsters likely planned to claim she rear-ended them, which is generally considered the trailing driver's fault.

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), staged accidents are more frequent in urban areas with more vehicles. Women driving alone and senior citizens are often targeted most, as they may feel pressured to exchange information quickly without confrontation.

What to do if you suspect insurance fraud

Natasha's dashcam likely prevented the fraudsters from making a claim, but heightened emotions can make it difficult to spot fraud in the moment. If you suspect you are a victim of a staged accident, there are practical steps you can take to protect yourself.

If you live in a highly populated area or one where insurance fraud is common, consider investing in a dashcam. If you don't have a dashcam, always take videos and photos following an accident, including the scene, damages and the other driver's license plate.

It’s best never to admit fault or try to settle the case quickly. Requesting the police and filing a report is crucial if damage is significant or if anyone is injured. Any evidence you may have can be turned over and any suspicious behavior can be reported to your car insurance company. They can use this information to investigate the claim.

You may also want to consider umbrella auto insurance that covers you for every possible accident with other vehicles or objects, and double check your liability coverage to make sure you’re not underinsured.

Finally, most states have an insurance fraud bureau. You can research the number for your state and call to report any suspicious activities if you suspect you’ve been targeted.