Fraud
Ghost broker handed two-year suspended prison sentence
A man who sold invalid insurance policies and tried to take out car insurance for himself by covering up his driving offences and using a fake no-claims discount certificate has been sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years.
Allianz reveals rise in cloned businesses motor fleet fraud attempts
Allianz UK has reported a “marked increase” in fake or cloned businesses claims coming through in the first half of the year, as it also highlighted strong collaboration with brokers has further heightened fraud awareness and detection.
When it comes to risk management do brokers practice what they preach?
Brokers are being asked to constantly bang the drum for risk management to make sure a client is adequately insured. But what are intermediaries doing to protect and ready their own businesses for all eventualities? Martin Friel investigates.
How can the insurance industry bust ghost brokers for good?
With ghost broking a growing and persistent threat to the insurance industry, Rosie Simms asks whether technology is making the problem more prevalent – or easier for insurers to spot.
Ghost broker sentenced for £17,000 Instagram insurance scam
Wahidullah Usmani, 22, of Prayle Grove, Cricklewood, has been sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 24 months, for making £17,618 by selling invalid car insurance policies on Instagram.
IFB warns of increasing danger as ghost broking rises 6%
UK insurers reported a 6% rise in ghost broking activity on social media last year, according to the Insurance Fraud Bureau as it warned the threat of people being duped would continue to increase with the growth of financial strain.
Application and ghost broking motor fraud up 64% at Aviva
Aviva spotted fraud on more than 51,000 motor policy applications last year, up 64% on its 2022 detection figures, the insurer has revealed.
Whistleblowing to FCA increases
The level of whistleblowing to the Financial Conduct Authority increased in the first quarter of the year, reversing previous declines.
Ex-insurance broker jailed for pocketing £46k from bouncy castle hire companies and amusement parks
A former insurance broker has been jailed for two years, after he stole £46,125 by editing a wholesale broker’s contracts to increase the cost of premiums paid by his clients, the City of London Police have confirmed.
Only one in 10 consumers aware of ‘ghost broking’ threat
Ninety percent of people who have heard of online insurance fraud are unaware of the term ‘ghost broking’, according to the Association of British Insurers.
FCA warns on Tempcover clone
The Financial Conduct Authority has issued a warning of fraudsters trying to scam people by pretending to be short-term car insurance specialist broker Tempcover including on TikTok.
The growing role for brokers in fighting insurance fraud
With reports of fraud escalating in terms of value or number, the role of brokers in combatting these crimes should not be underestimated. Edward Murray looks at the controls, validation tools and processes being implemented to support both detection and…
In Depth: Cyber risk and AI – friend or foe?
The rise of artificial intelligence signals both a threat and opportunity for UK firms in pursuit of a cyber-secure future. But how can brokers help clients stay on the winning side, asks Saxon East.
CFC partners with Biba for conference Cyber Hub
The British Insurance Brokers’ Association and CFC have collaborated to design and deliver a Cyber Hub, a new feature at the trade body’s annual conference.
Nine ghost broker actions in police counter-fraud Operation Henhouse
Police officers from the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department have served nine cease and desist notices over a two-week period to help tackle ghost brokers.
FCA warns of Admiral clone
The Financial Conduct Authority has warned of a clone claiming to be Admiral Insurance.
Zurich uncovered £78.5m in bogus claims in 2023
Zurich UK faced down £78.5m in fraudulent claims last year, equating to £215,117 a day.
FCA reveals slight decline in whistleblowing
The Financial Conduct Authority received 249 whistleblowing reports containing 649 allegations in the fourth quarter of last year.
GI & Protection accounted for 4% of FCA financial promotions cases in Q4
The Financial Conduct Authority intervened to get 10,008 financial adverts and other promotions withdrawn or changed in 2023, a year-on-year rise of 17%.
Allianz Commercial sees double-digit jump in fraud detection again
Allianz Commercial detected £77.4m worth of claims fraud in 2023 – up from £70.7m in 2022 – with application fraud savings of £1.95m.
Ghost broker who targeted Sudanese community sentenced
The City of London Police have revealed a man who offered fraudulent motor insurance policies to Sudanese nationals living in the UK has been sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months.
Former RSA employee who stole and sold customer details jailed
An ex-RSA employee has been jailed for stealing customer details and selling them to claims management companies.
Blog: Paul Tasker on brokers’ anti-money laundering responsibilities and actions
Paul Tasker, CEO of Reg Technologies, sets out responsibilities and a ‘must do’ list for brokers to deliver their crucial role in the fight against money laundering.
Aviva and IFB join forces to help combat paid-ad spoofing scams
Consumers are being urged to be extra cautious when searching for their insurer or broker online.