Public gave 6,060 anonymous tip-offs last year
More than 6,000 members of the public anonymously reported insurance fraud last year, according to new figures released by the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB).
The figure is a 32% increase on 2012, and equivalent to one call every 90 minutes. In total there were 6,060 reports made to either the IFB’s Cheatline or Crimestoppers, which powers the Cheatline.
The Cheatline allows members of the public to report fraud anonymously by calling a freephone number or submitting an electronic report.
The tip-offs have helped insurers reject fraudulent claims and helped the IFB to support 145 police arrests last year.
IFB director Ben Fletcher said: “It is fantastic to see such an increase in fraud reports and it shows that the public shares our contempt for insurance fraud.
“Far from being a victimless crime, insurance fraud hits honest policyholders in the pocket and, in some cases, puts innocent road users in harm’s way. The Cheatline is a free anonymous service that helps us identify fraudsters and bring them to justice. Seeing the public make use of it is extremely gratifying.”
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