Staging on demand: auto insurance scammers exposed
The Novosibirsk police have unmasked a group of fraudsters engaged in staging traffic accidents in order to obtain insurance payments. This was reported to Izvestia by a source in the law enforcement agencies. Details of fraud and explanation of the lawyer - in the material of the publication.
Collided their cars
The investigation believes that the accomplices actively acted in 2022 - in this period established at least three facts of deception of insurers. The first staged accident took place in September 2022, then the fraudsters managed to fraudulently obtain 400 thousand rubles. The second case occurred in October of the same year, the loot was Br265 thousand. As a result of similar actions in December, the insurers suffered a loss of Br182 thousand. Criminal cases on fraud were initiated in November 2024.
The three suspects are related to each other. One of them had extensive experience in the car repair business, is a co-owner of a car rental and maintenance business. Another, according to the investigation, has knowledge in the insurance business, is well-versed in the law - he was on the legal side of the issue. The others were technical executors of staging, in which vehicles belonging to the co-defendants were used.
Alfa Insurance is listed as the injured party in the case file.
"In the Novosibirsk region is quite widespread this type of crime, so, according to the statistics of RAMI and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Novosibirsk region ranks 5th in Russia in the number of reported losses with signs of insurance fraud and 2nd place in the number of applications filed under Article 159.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, fraud in the field of insurance," - reported "Izvestia" in response to an inquiry in the insurance company.
They also specified that the verification of the insurance case related to the accident is carried out according to the regulations of the insurance company and is not subject to disclosure. For details on criminal cases recommended to contact the press service of the Main Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the Novosibirsk region.
Earlier on the website of the organization reported that from 2023 to May 2024 in Novosibirsk at the request of the IC was initiated 31 criminal cases on insurance fraud, which are about 64 defendants in four criminal groups, and the amount of damage from their actions reached 10 million rubles. The publication specifies that the collision of "their" cars is one of the popular schemes of deception.
Types of hoaxes
However, this is not the only methodology that is actively used by groups of criminals. No less popular are also car hoaxes. Fraudsters, as a rule, use complex junctions and sections of roads, where they can formally be recognized as innocent of violating the accident.
- Auto framing - not an uncommon phenomenon on the roads, but they can be exposed, - says a lawyer in civil cases Alla Georgieva. - The first helpers in this - video cameras, recorders, phones, witnesses. Therefore, when there is a traffic accident, it is formalized, find out all the necessary circumstances on it. Video recordings and witness testimony are admissible evidence. Modern video cameras (especially at complex intersections and other accident-prone places) allow to record, recognize, identify moving objects. This system still captures suspicious behavior of these objects, analyzes accidents, even recognizes people's faces and license plates.
Police officers can identify a car that is frequently involved in accidents, she said. Such evidence can also be used by insurance companies, but they don't always have the ability to do so.
A measure of liability
- If it is found that the scenario of the accident is invented in advance, then there may be responsibility both administrative and criminal. It depends on the consequences. At the same time, there is no direct responsibility for "auto framing" in the law. The illegal act may fall under the qualification of "Fraud" (Art. 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) - if the damage is large, and may be administrative (if petty theft) - under Art. 7.27 of the CAO RF, - comments Georgieva.
Liability under Art. 7.27 of the CAO RF also depends on the amount of damage, the lawyer specifies.
- For example, if the amount of less than 1 thousand rubles is embezzled through auto framing, the punishment will be an administrative fine of up to five times the value of the stolen property, but not less than 1 thousand rubles, or administrative detention for up to 15 days, or compulsory labor for up to 50 hours.
If the amount of damage is more than 1 thousand and less than 2.5 thousand rubles, the punishment will be an administrative fine of up to five times the value of the stolen property, but not less than 3 thousand rubles, or administrative detention for up to 15 days, or compulsory labor for up to 120 hours. If the damage exceeds Br2.5 thousand, criminal liability may be incurred. The punishment will be a fine of 300 thousand rubles or imprisonment for up to two years.
According to the statistics of the Judicial Department of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, in 2023, 471 people were convicted under the article on insurance fraud. Most often the courts imposed as punishment suspended terms (232 sentences), in 19 cases correctional labor was applied to the guilty, in 18 - compulsory. Sixty-seven fraudsters were fined, and one was restricted in his freedom. Only 101 perpetrators received real terms. Two of them were subjected to compulsory medical measures, three were acquitted.
Georgiev's lawyer points out that if the investigation reveals collusion, the amount of damage will not matter.
- There is a high probability of criminal liability. Therefore, you should think about whether it is necessary? And what is the price of the question? Is it worth to spoil your biography for the sake of an insignificant nowadays illegally acquired sum? After all, the fine is not small and there is imprisonment. It is easy to get under the camera, as they maximally fix dangerous areas, but to avoid responsibility for framing will be difficult. Therefore, it is not worth resorting to this type of "earnings"," concluded the interviewee.
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