The Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) has named the motor insurance fraud hotspots in the UK after analyzing 3.3 million claims. The top three areas are Dagenham in London, Birmingham, and the London borough of Islington. Other regions with the highest instances of fraudulent claims include Bradford, West Yorkshire, and Potters Bar in Hertfordshire. In Wales, the hotspot is Llanbadrig, while Muthill in Scotland and Antrim in Northern Ireland are the problem areas in their respective countries. The IFB has also raised the alarm on 'ghost brokers' – fake motor insurance providers and brokers primarily operating on social media – who are not just taking funds from unsuspecting motorists but also using their details to make fraudulent claims.
Motorists are being warned to be extra vigilant over a wave of varying 'crash-for-cash' scams deployed in different parts of the country, as fraudsters look to new tactics to force innocent drivers into colliding with them.
Deliberate crashes caused by scam artists who want to claim compensation by blaming faultless motorists remain a major concern on our roads, the Insurance Fraud Bureau says. But while suddenly slamming on the brakes in the path of innocent drivers to trigger collisions remains the most common technique, the IFB says it has identified different methods fraudsters are using in specific regions. Among these is what the bureau dubs the 'roundabout trap'.
This sees scammers deliberately moving into the wrong lane at busy roundabouts to cause a collision. The IFB says it has seen a growing trend for this manoeuvre specifically in Dagenham in east London.
Meanwhile, in the West Midlands – particularly in popular restaurant and nightlife hotspots in Birmingham – fraudsters are deploying what's called the 'side road setup'. This is when scammers signal to drivers to pull out of side roads where the Highway Code dictates they do not have right of way. When they oblige, the fraudster purposely drives into the side of them and claims the other party was at fault.
Across Greater London and the Home Counties, the IFB says it is detecting increased cases of moped and motorbike riders driving into oncoming traffic – often with a pillion on board – before accusing victims of being at fault. The bureau has also flagged a raft of other tell-tale signs of a crash-for-cash scam, including grifters disabling the brake lights on their vehicles so that motorists behind are not instantly warned they are braking.
Accusing victims of causing pre-existing damage, charlatan passengers exaggerating injuries, and being provided with prewritten insurance details after a collision are also on the IFB's radar. The IFB has also raised the alarm on 'ghost brokers' – fake motor insurance providers and brokers primarily operating on social media – who are not just taking funds from unsuspecting motorists but also using their details to make fraudulent claims.
The number of cases where insurance fraud is detected is on the rise, analysis of 2025 data has concluded. There has been a 12 per cent increase in fraudulent claims last year compared with 2024, amounting to more than £1 billion, according to the Association of British Insurers. Jon Radford, head of intelligence, investigations and data services at the bureau, said, 'Insurance fraudsters are relentless, and their tactics are evolving fast.
By revealing the UK's top motor insurance fraud hotspots, our aim is to help protect those who are at greater risk. Insurance scams can put people in danger and drive up costs for honest consumers, at a time when many are already under financial pressure.
Insurance Fraud Motor Insurance Fraud UK's Top Motor Insurance Fraud Hotspots Ghost Brokers Roundabout Trap Side Road Setup Moped And Motorbike Riders Driving Into Oncomi Crash-For-Cash Scams Insurance Fraudsters Insurance Scams Financial Pressure Financial Pressure Financial Pressure
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