Rise in motorists falling for fake insurance scams

RECORD numbers of young drivers are being duped into buying fake insurance polices online.

Industry bosses say the number of “ghost broking” scams has soared in the past three years, leaving motorists hundreds of pounds out of pocket and uninsured.

Men in their 20s are the most common victims.

Ads offering insurance for as little as £ 100 a year appear on social media sites like Instagram, student websites or money-saving forums,.

But the scammers forge insurance documents or take out genuine policies then cancel them and make off with the refund plus their victims’ money.

The Insurance Fraud Bureau has more than 70 ongoing investigations into “ghost broking”– up from 11 in 2015.

Head of intelligence Stephen Dalton said: “IFB investigations can involve hundreds of policies, which goes to show the scale of just how many people can be affected.

“We’re starting to see social media as a breeding ground for suspicious adverts.”

Experts warned that if an offer looks too good to be true, it probably is.