Car Insurance Fraud rises in Bad Economy
Just as foreclosures and deed in lieu transactions are rising, an increasing number of Americans are also abandoning luxury cars they can no longer afford.
But some people are adding a creative twist: Instead of simply abandoning the car or handing the keys back to the lender, they’re dumping them in ditches and then reporting them stolen hoping to collect a fat insurance settlement. Insurance claims are on the rise and the Wall Street Journal reports (subscription required) that “Authorities report a growing number of cars dumped in the Great Lakes, burned along remote New Jersey roadsides and driven into canals in California.