57-member fraud ring

A 57-member fraud ring, which included a nurse and a bank manager, was broken up by police in 2010. The fraudsters were ordered to pay their victims almost £400,000 in damages after it was revealed that they'd staged more than 30 accidents.

All the accidents were staged in the Greater Manchester area at three different locations. Members of the ring would approach the owners of old, low value cars and ask to use the vehicle in an accident in return for cash.

Insurers became suspicious when they received multiple claims for the same kind of accident in the same locations, including one roundabout near Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United FC.

On closer inspection it emerged that in 19 of the 30 cases, the insurance claim form was completed in the same handwriting. All claims were made in 2005 and 2006.