Rep. Mike Collins pushing for federal crackdown on staged crash scams
ATLANTA - A group of Republican lawmakers, including Georgia Rep. Mike Collins, is calling for federal action to address what they describe as a growing and dangerous criminal trend: staged vehicle crashes designed to defraud insurance companies. The push comes in the form of a formal request to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, urging the formation of a national task force focused on investigating and prosecuting these schemes.
What we know:
The bipartisan effort is led by Collins, who represents Georgia’s 10th District, and is co-signed by six other Republican representatives from Michigan, Texas, Wisconsin, and Florida. Their letter warns that staged accidents—deliberately orchestrated collisions meant to generate fraudulent insurance claims—are on the rise nationwide and are putting drivers' lives at risk.
While New York is referenced as a hotspot, the letter specifically names Georgia as an area of concern. Two recent arrests in the state involved individuals allegedly tied to repeat instances of such fraud, including incidents involving U-Haul vehicles. The letter notes that Georgia alone has seen 63 investigations into U-Haul-related crash fraud since 2014.
The backstory:
Staged accident fraud is not new but is gaining more attention as authorities uncover criminal rings operating across state lines. In one example cited in the letter, a long-running scam in Louisiana involved fraudsters crashing into commercial trucks beginning in 2011.
What they're saying:
The group of lawmakers believes a coordinated federal response is needed. The appeal urges the U.S. Department of Justice to not only investigate and prosecute offenders but also to launch public awareness campaigns and recommend stricter enforcement and penalties to help curb the trend.
What's next:
The lawmakers are awaiting a response from Attorney General Bondi and hope to see the creation of a federal task force in the near future. If adopted, the task force would work across agencies to target fraud operations, provide resources to local law enforcement, and protect unsuspecting drivers from becoming victims.