IFED makes 1,000th arrest

The Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED) has arrested its 1,000th suspected fraudster following the arrest of four men in Wales.  

The action was taken as part of an investigation into a series of suspected bogus personal injury insurance claims.

The alleged ‘crash for cash’ case was referred to IFED, a City of London Police unit, by two insurers with the help of the Insurance Fraud Bureau.

IFED has now secured 185 police cautions and 109 convictions at court since it was launched in January 2012, with judges putting insurance fraudsters behind bars for a total of 49 years.

The unit has also seized £251,356 from convicted insurance fraudsters and returned it to victims.

City of London Police commander and Police national co-ordinator for economic crime Steve Head said: “This landmark demonstrates that, three years on, the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department continues to deliver on its primary purpose: to target the fraudsters and their criminal enterprises that have taken millions of pounds from industry and are directly responsible for consumers paying more for their premiums.

“Just as importantly, when the news of IFED’s latest arrests, convictions and sentencings feature in the media it makes others who have previously thought insurance fraud is a crime without consequences stop and think again.”

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