Two popular Greater Manchester postcodes have been named on the list of ‘crash for cash’ hotspots across the UK.
A new analysis by the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) – which helps insurers and police forces fight fraud – has this week revealed that Manchester (M8) and Oldham (OL8) are among the top 30 postcodes in the country where ‘crash for cash’ have been reported to take place, appearing at number 14 and 16 respectively.
The new research has been carried out to help disrupt organised fraud networks.
The term ‘crash for cash’ is an insurance scam where fraudsters deliberately cause dangerous road collisions and often target innocent people in a bid to claim compensation and the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB).
Of 2.7 million motor insurance claims made across the UK in between the start of October 2019 and the end of 2020, the IFB has identified more than 170,000 claims which could be linked to suspected crash for cash networks.
Birmingham and Bradford remain the most prevalent areas in the UK for the dangerous scam, accounting for seven of the 30 postcodes.
The IFB said it hoped that, by pinpointing crash for cash hotspots, people would be encouraged to be vigilant as more drivers start to take to the roads.
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IFB investigations have found that single gangs could potentially be behind thousands of orchestrated collisions in some areas, with the combined value of their fraudulent claims running into the millions.
In 2019, it was estimated that crash for cash was costing insurers £340 million annually.
The 30 Postcodes With The Most ‘Crash For Cash’ Incidents
B25 Birmingham
B34 Birmingham
B8 Birmingham
BD7 Bradford
BD3 Bradford
WS1 Walsall
BB9 Blackburn
BD8 Bradford
B27 Birmingham
RM18 Romford
B33 Birmingham
WF13 Wakefield
BD15 Bradford
OL8 Oldham
HX1 Halifax
M8 Manchester
LS8 Leeds
N9 North London
WF16 Wakefield
LU3 Luton
WS2 Walsall
BD2 Bradford
BD5 Bradford
B11 Birmingham
HP12 High Wycombe
B28 Birmingham
RM8 Romford
LU4 Luton
IG3 Ilford
BD9 Bradford
Speaking on the revealing of the top 30 list, Ben Fletcher – Director at the IFB – said: “Crash for cash fraudsters bring devastation to countless victims and increase motor insurance costs for us all.
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“The IFB’s hotspots analysis is a stark reminder that although great strides have been taken in tackling the problem, these car crash scams are all too common.
“As traffic levels return to normal following the national lockdown, crash for cash fraudsters may look to make up for lost time. It is hoped that by shining a spotlight on the issue we will encourage road users to be alert and report any suspicious activity to the IFB’s Cheatline on 0800 422 0421”.
Each year, countless innocent people fall victim to reckless #CrashforCash scams – enough is enough! Tomorrow, we’ll be releasing new figures highlighting the UK’s 30 worst-affected postal districts for 'Crash for Cash' scams to raise awareness and help communities fight fraud. pic.twitter.com/U3xvmqyePR
The IFB says ‘crash for cash’ car collisions are often caused by fraudsters in a vehicle in front of the victim, meaning the scam artist will slam their brakes on at busy junctions and roundabouts in the hope that the unsuspecting driver behind won’t stop in time.
Some fraudsters also do this with an accomplice that drives erratically in front of them, so they can divert the victim’s suspicions by blaming the driver in front.
On top of that, there have been rising reports of innocent drivers being crashed into by fraudsters after being encouraged to pull out of side roads, or when creeping forward for a better view.
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Experts say the best way for motorists to protect themselves is to be armed with a dashcam – which cost from as little as £50 and up to £500 for the most advanced devices, and were launched to help drivers prove their innocence in road traffic collisions – and also keep a good distance to the vehicle they are following, to allow them to stop in time in all scenarios.
You can find more tips about preventing ‘crash for cash’ scams via the IFB website.
Featured Image – SAGA
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Manc rock band left ‘broke as f***’ despite just finishing EU arena tour as industry concerns grow
Danny Jones
Manchester musicians Witch Fever have revealed that they are now almost completely “broke” despite having just finished touring with a major rock band on a lengthy arena run across Europe, as concerns continue to grow around shows in the EU.
Post-Brexit, it has become increasingly more difficult for UK bands not only to make money playing around the mainland but to even book support slots in the first place.
From more stringent visa requirements that limit the amount of time they can perform on the road, as well as other essential work permits, to tax, transport and wider logistics, almost every aspect of the live music landscape has become more complicated on the continent.
Unfortunately, ‘Doom-punk’ outfit Witch Fever is one of countless groups being affected by these issues; opening up on a recent podcast appearance, they said that this is simply “what the music industry is like at the moment.”
As you can see, speaking in the most recent episode of the 101 Part Time Jobs with Giles Bidder – a fellow artist as well as pod and radio host – two members of the local outfit put it as plainly as they could: “we’re broke as f***”.
Breaking things down into as basic terms as possible, bassist Alex Thompson said that while the “fees are [already] low, the costs are getting higher and higher” relative to what they can afford.
Thompson went on to admit that she is now relying on the remainder of her late mother’s pension to get by and that no one in the band can even get a steady enough job right now because they’re heading back out on tour again this March.
As explained by lead singer Amy Walpole, the band has only just finished supporting Danish veterans Volbeat, but any potential ‘profit’ from the two-months’ worth of shows is currently “stuck in withholding taxes across Europe” – a common problem for most British artists trying to play overseas right now.
Surprisingly, they even received a little bit of backlash on social media since the interview (which you can watch in full HERE) went live.
This just in, JK Rowling super fan celebrating us struggling coz the music industry is impossible rn because *checks notes* it’s karma for disagreeing with JKs views lol
It wasn’t long ago that the Witch Fever gang booked a big hometown gig here in the city centre, either, as their warm-up shows for Volbeat also involved a trip to the AO Arena back in November.
We’ve seen them live a couple of times now, and if those shows were anything to go by, we really think you should go see them on their upcoming tour.
As it happens, we put them on our artists of the month round-up in January 2024, and they’ve only got bigger since then; it’s more important than ever that we support rising bands and grassroots venues on our doorstep when we can.
If you’re interested, you can grab your tickets now. Even if not, in the meantime, you can see what we had to say about them and four other fantastic Greater-Manchester-based bands down below.
Featured Images — Press shot (supplied)/101 Part Time Jobs (screenshot via YouTube)
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Package holiday company launches new ‘Beckham Clause’ for feuding families
Emily Sergeant
A popular package holiday company has launched a new ‘Beckham Clause’ to help protect feuding families.
It’s official… family fallouts are now holiday-proof, thanks to a new ‘Beckham Clause’ that’s been launched by a Manchester-based travel company On The Beach in the wake of the ongoing – and at this point, inescapable – Beckham family feud.
In case you need bringing up to speed, then allow us to (briefly) sum up the Beckham family drama for you as best as possible.
Basically, at the centre of this discourse the eldest Beckham child, Brooklyn, his wife Nicola Peltz, and primarily his mum Victoria, although as the months have gone on, it appears there’s no member of the Beckham family that isn’t somewhat involved (okay, maybe not Harper… well at least not publicly, anyway).
Earlier this month, it was reported that Brooklyn had become estranged from his family, and had told his parents to contact him only through lawyers.
On The Beach has launched a new ‘Beckham Clause’ for feuding families / Credit: Ivan Shimko | Natalya Zaritskaya (via Unsplash)
And then yesterday, of course, Brooklyn publicly spoke out about the accusations on his Instagram Stories for the first time ever… and all hell broke loose in the celebrity news world.
On the Beach’s new clause – officially titled the Family Fallout Refund, and already nicknamed the ‘Beckham Clause’ by bosses – aims to give holidaymakers peace of mind that no matter how messy things get at home, their getaway won’t suffer, as it applies to family holidays where one member suddenly drops out due to a feud, argument, or full-blown emotional meltdown.
Under the new policy, if a family member pulls out before departure, their share of the hotel booking will be refunded rather than leaving the rest of the group to foot the bill.
Family fallouts aren’t just limited to celebrities, every year hundreds of holiday bookings need amending due to feuds, On The Beach said, which is why it’s chosen to launch the new refund scheme.
“We love family holidays, but we’re also very aware that family fallouts cam hamper plans,” explained Zoe Harris, who is the Chief Customer Officer at On the Beach.
“The ‘Beckham Clause’ is there for those moments when someone decides they’d rather cool off at home than by the pool.
“Our new perk means that if a family feud takes place and one person drops out, the rest of the group can still head off, relax, and enjoy the holiday they were looking forward to.”
Emily Sergeant -
11th May 2021 
