what do you guys know about these? I have a feeling the accident I was in 2 days ago was. The guy who claimed to be a "witness" for me suddenly didnt remember if the light was green, and is claiming my 300D :lurched" forward. My car takes a bit to lurch anywhere. I was going maybe 3 MPH when I hit the car in front of me, and they said they werent going forward, when they drove a bit more (probably 10 ft) before coming to a stop.
This whole accident seems fishy to me.
(he also cut me off with INCHES between me and him earlier down the road, then sped up to about 50 *in a 35* to fly by me)

Ive read they purposely choose people who seem to have money, and i mean my car is NICE. so im thinking they thought I had money (which I dont).

Anyone have an insight?

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Kenni
'85 300D turbo
208K miles
FOR SALE (kinda)

Let your insurance company do the investigation with your observations. Ask the agent/adjuster if this case might be appropriate for their SIU (Special Investigation Unit) for potential fraud review. At the very least, they should run a past claim history on the claimant..

My GF got slightly t-boned in her civic when a moron came screaming out of an underground parking structure onto a 25mph residental street lined with parked cars way too fast and hit her in the right rear quarter panel. He was yelling at her because he didn't see her and she was "driving too far to the right on the street". Idiot refused to give her DL info and Insurance cause he didn't want to pay and only gave an address (which was right down the street). Apparently partial info was not enough for a hit and run claim because he sped away before she could get the license plate information from being in minor shock. The guy later tried to strongarm us into having HIS body shop do the work...wasn't going to happen. This wasn't a fraud case but it reeked of it.

Turns out later we found that Glendale, CA there is a special auto fraud unit in place by the Glendale PD becuase there is a large network of scam artists that stage accidents and have conveniently placed witnesses and even have "legitimate" falsified doctor testimonies and documents.

This info was obtained from the car rental agency who also told us another off the wall story. Another family in Glendale rented a Jaguar JX8 and took it and removed ALL of the leather seating surfaces, the Bose audio and speakers. They then exchanged the audio system and seating surfaces with their 80's Nissan Maxima interior and returned the car. When the rental location did their inspection they got pissed and had the police arrest them on the spot.

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1974 240D 3.0L 4(M) - 250K -OM617.910 + 300D FW + Rajay turbo power!
1977 6.9 3(A) - 84k

I agree with MTI.........its common for then to cut you off and slam on the brakes hoping you hit them......and their cohorts are convienient witnesses to your being at fault causing the whole thing.....


Make certain your insurance company knopws all this...put it in writing...don't just verbally inform them. If they have a history of this sort of accident claim then they are hung.

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

I've heard about staged accidents. The whole concept blows my mind. If these people put as much time and effort into getting a real job instead of scamming people, they could make just as much money, and not risk their lives purposely getting into accidents all the time. I think some people break the law because they don't know any other way.

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headrivenoise... listen.

I agree with you on that point but it extends way beyond autos here in LA. There is simply no respect for other people in the name of pride and money. Is is that hard to go about life without stepping on other people's toes?

My $0.02

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1974 240D 3.0L 4(M) - 250K -OM617.910 + 300D FW + Rajay turbo power!
1977 6.9 3(A) - 84k

The "victims" in the car are the lowest paid characters in these scenarios. The big money goes to the "medical providers" and attorneys that take in the insurance money for bogus medical care and the property damage and tort settlement. Multiply the $5-10K per accident by a few dozen a year and you can see how a fake accident operation can be a real money maker.

Staged accidents and insurance scams are an everyday big business. I think they got me with a duck and squat 15 years ago. I didn't hit them as planned but I ran into the median and broke an axle on my car. It was a SAAB and looked expensive at the time.

A few months back I was sitting at a busy intersection at a red light. 4 way intersection two lanes on either side of the diveded line, route 1/ El Grasso. I was the second car back and a pos late 80's Civic was in front of me. As the light turned green the cars accelerated and the Civic did as well for about 30ft then he slammed on his brakes. He did this 2 more times looking in his rear view mirror the whole time trying to get my to rear end him. Luckly my brakes are 10 times better then his and I wasn't following to closely. At the time I thought he was being stupid now I am pretty sure he wanted me to hit hin.

In hindsight I wish I had called his plate in. Maybe I could have made the story a bit better for the cops: "holly crap a blue late 80's Civic in front of me with plate # ***** just tryed to cut me off and car jack me! I could have sworn I saw an AK-47 in his window!"

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200