Beware of ‘Runners’ - And We Don’t Mean Joggers

One morning, Josie was on her way to the store to get a gallon of milk. She was driving down Commonwealth Avenue fiddling with the radio when suddenly, the car in front of her slammed on his brakes. She tried to stop, but it was too late. Josie crashed into him with a terrible crunch. Rubbing her neck, she slowly climbed out of the car. The man she had rear-ended rushed to her side, apologizing profusely. He explained that a dog had run in front of his car, and he'd hit the brakes without thinking. He was worried that she was hurt, since he saw her rubbing her neck. She explained that she wasn't hurt, just shaken.

Even though she thought she was fine, she figured that it was better to get it checked out. She accepted the business card from the man, and set up an appointment with his doctor. The doctor ran a few tests, and told her that she was going to be just fine. She was very relieved that there wasn't any damage, and went on her way. Even though there wasn't anything wrong, she was glad that she'd taken that man's recommendation and gotten her neck examined. The peace of mind was well worth it.

Unnecessary Billing

It had been several months and Josie hadn't given much thought to her accident. She had an appointment with her car insurance agent, Frank, to find out about adding a homeowner's policy, and she was very surprised when Frank asked if she was feeling better. Since she hadn't been sick, she asked him why he was worried about her. Frank said that he'd seen the bill from her doctor about her surgery! Josie assumed he was making a mistake, or thinking of someone else.

Frank pulled up her account on his computer and showed her the huge medical bills that had been billed to her car insurance. She still assumed that it was a mistake, until Frank began asking her about "runners." Though she'd never heard the term before, she quickly realized that she'd been duped, and her car insurance company had paid the price. The runner was most likely paid by the doctor to stage accidents and direct victims to the doctor's office. When the huge checks came in from the insurance company, the runner and the doctor laughed all the way to the bank.

Getting Tough With Fraudsters

If you're ever involved in an accident, you will probably have a million thoughts running through your mind, and a potential scam may be low on your list of worries. This is precisely why accident victims are easy targets for fraud. You might be able to spot a shifty character any other day, but when you're panicked and vulnerable, you can let your guard down. Beware of "Good Samaritans" who seem more interested in whether or not you have a good lawyer than any damage to your car or your person! And if you think you've been a victim, tell your auto insurance company. Each fraudster behind bars means dollars saved on your insurance.