In this material, we will examine several examples of failed car fraud attempts, where the victims were supposed to be allegedly random pedestrians, but in reality, they were well-thought-out scammers.
For those who want to understand in detail the schemes of fraud involving pedestrians, we advise you to read the article in full. If you don't have time to watch all the videos and read the text, below is a video selection with brief comments:
It is believed that this type of fraud has existed since Soviet times. According to legend, the first to come up with this scheme were homeless people who threw themselves under the wheels of cars to get a warm hospital bed and regular meals.
Jumper on the highway outside the city
It is important to note that the incident happened on a country road, where you least expect such "surprises."
The persistence and dedication of the "pedestrian" should not be surprising. In Ukraine, as in most countries of the world, hitting a pedestrian carries very severe punishment. Therefore, there are people who, risking their own health and sometimes life, are ready to go for such deception for the sake of monetary compensation, which the frightened victim of the scam is ready to pay just to avoid calling traffic police officers. About a year ago in Russia, scammers who received almost 10 thousand dollars as a "bribe" did not stop there and continued to blackmail the driver until he went to the police.
Deception at the "zebra crossing"
As a rule, scammers do not work alone, because with the help of "accomplices" they can use different tactics to deceive the chosen victim.
This video shows how a BMW X6 with tinted windows stands right in front of the pedestrian crossing, completely blocking the view for drivers approaching the "zebra." This is a fairly common scheme.
Didn't manage to jump on the hood? No problem!
If the car passed a little earlier than the attacker expected, he can always catch up with the vehicle and jump on the side of the unsuspecting driver's car.
The driver has already mentally passed the crossing and focused on the road. Suddenly he hears a thud and sees a fallen person. The artistry with which the "hit victim" feigns convulsions deserves the most prestigious creative awards.
Note: a "good Samaritan" immediately appears who rushes to help the "injured." Later, he will act as a witness to a gross violation of traffic rules...
Crowd effect
Sometimes the situation reaches completely absurd moments...
But most often, bystanders begin to blame the driver without even understanding what happened. This, of course, creates additional psychological pressure on the victim. The author of the video complained that "the old ladies immediately swooped in and said: 'You hit her'."
Retribution
In some cases, scammers face well-deserved punishment, right at the scene of the incident.
Here you can't argue with the severity of the punishment...
Sometimes an attempt at a setup ends in tragedy (watch from 1:22)
As the author of the video said, the scammer miscalculated the trajectory of the "fall," and this jump was his last. It is worth adding that the traffic police officers did not believe the driver until they watched the video recording. Still doubting the need for a dash cam?
If you are involved in such an accident, do not panic, carefully listen to the "story" of the victim and witnesses. This way you can understand the circumstances of the case: whether there is a video recording, witnesses, etc. After gathering information, be sure to contact your insurance company - they will advise on further steps. Remember that resolving the issue "amicably" with the victim or leaving the scene of the accident does not guarantee that everything is over. Scammers may have a video recording of the incident, shot from a position favorable to them, which shows that you not only hit a pedestrian but also fled the scene.
Instead of a conclusion
In order not to end the article on a tragic note, we suggest watching a video with a tipsy lady who hones her "skills" even during rest!
Let us remind you that AutoPortal has already written about what will happen if you run over a traffic police officer's foot?
