Jailed Lego collector’s insurance scam highlights UK’s £1.3bn fraud problem
Industry leaders say bogus claims rose 14% last year, pushing up premiums for all customers
An insurance fraudster who pocketed more than £14,000 for the supposed theft of Lego sets, fishing gear and gaming consoles was behind one of last year’s most high-profile bogus claims.
The Lego fraudster, Matthew Johnson, was sentenced to 28 months in prison last December after an investigation by the City of London police’s insurance fraud enforcement department.
He claimed that high-value items had been stolen, including MacBooks, televisions, gaming consoles, fishing equipment and large quantities of collectible Lego sets. Johnson received more than £14,000 in insurance payouts across four claims. He was ordered by Nottingham crown court to repay the money.
The ABI and police warned that insurance fraud pushed up the cost of premiums for all customers.
While the number of detected fraudulent claims fell by 2.7% to 93,900 cases last year, the value of scams rose sharply. The ABI said this was a sign of its growing scale and sophistication.
Motor insurance was again the area with the most fraud, accounting for 55% of all cases. With 51,900 fraudulent motor claims worth £625m uncovered last year, the figures point to fewer but more costly cases. The average value rose to £12,000, the second-highest figure since 2015.
Aviva discovered bogus insurance claims worth £233m last year, it said in June. Scammers tried new tricks including using artificial intelligence to fake car accident scenes and documents.
The travel sector had the sharpest rise in the number of bogus claims. Investigators uncovered a £300,000 insurance scam that used multiple fake identities, fabricated medical documents and bogus websites to support false medical emergency claims.
Ursula Jallow of the Insurance Fraud Bureau, which is funded by insurers, said: “Insurance fraud is devastating. It costs honest consumers when times are already tough.”
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Dive deeper
- Industry leaders say bogus claims rose 14% last year, pushing up premiums for all customers
- An insurance fraudster who pocketed more than £14,000 for the supposed theft of Lego sets, fishing gear and gaming consoles was behind one of last year’s most high-profile bogus claims.
- The Lego fraudster, Matthew Johnson, was sentenced to 28 months in prison last December after an investigation by the City of London police’s insurance fraud enforcement department.
- He claimed that high-value items had been stolen, including MacBooks, televisions, gaming consoles, fishing equipment and large quantities of collectible Lego sets. Johnson received more than £14,000 in insurance payouts across four claims.
- The ABI and police warned that insurance fraud pushed up the cost of premiums for all customers.