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Beware the motor accident insurance scam

Collision on Northbourne Avenue, Downer. Photo by Silas Brown
Collision on Northbourne Avenue, Downer. Photo by Silas Brown
THE Insurance Council of Australia is warning of a recent surge in data mining scams.

“In recent months, insurers have become aware of an increase in unsolicited calls to motorists that promote compensation services or ask for personal information,” Insurance Councul CEO Rob Whelan said.

“These calls can follow a car accident, and the caller may attempt to refer the motorist to a claims or compensation service. The ICA strongly encourages anyone receiving an unsolicited call to protect their personal information.”

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has supported the ICA’s concerns.

“With scammers now targeting Australians in a myriad of ways, it is now more important than ever that we stay alert to scam approaches. The key message for consumers is, if you receive a phone call out of the blue promising money or offering services, verify the number independently or just hang up. If something is too good to be true, it probably is,” ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said.

The ICA offer the following advice:

  • If you receive an unsolicited call of this nature, do not provide any personal information. Instead, ask the caller for the caller’s name, organisation, website, email address and a return phone number. You can report the call and this information by visiting the ACCC’s SCAM watch website – www.scamwatch.gov.au – or call the SCAMwatch ACCC Infocentre on 1300 795 995 or call your insurer
  • If you receive an unsolicited call, and you have had a motor accident, you are strongly advised to contact your insurer.
  • If you receive an unsolicited call, and you have suffered an injury in a motor accident, you can also contact the ACT CTP insurance scheme on 13 22 81, http://www.treasury.act.gov.au/compulsorytpi/index.shtml
  • If the person making the unsolicited call has knowledge of your personal information, and you believe that they should not have this information, you may be able to make a privacy complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC). Contact the OAIC on 1300 363 992.

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3 Responses to Beware the motor accident insurance scam

Mary Kate Manning says: 26 August 2014 at 2:26 pm

These kinds of scams impacts the legitimate ones negatively, also in turn, making the motorists to lose more. Even with that said, the motorists should be smart with these kinds of MO and follow the advise by the ICA and let their friends and family to be educated with such.

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Maureen says: 19 October 2015 at 12:41 pm

Yep just got one of these. As soon as I said I would look them up on the internet he hung up. “Claim Advice Services” was who he said he was. Thanks for having this page so easy to access. How did he know I was recently in an accident? Are they obtaining information from the insurance companies? Or the car repairers?

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