Staged Road Accident: Workshop Repair

Scam Likelihood: Varies
Due to the vast number of accidents happening on the road everyday, the probability of an accident being staged is very low, but there are clues to be found when an accident is deliberate.

The Story:

You are driving on your way home, cursing the car in front to drive faster or move to the outside lane. Slowly, you inch up behind the car hoping that he will be considerate and move out of the way.

Just then, for no reason, he braked unexpectedly hard. You braked hard, but without a sufficient gap, your car smashed into his.

Both you and the driver came down to access the situation. The collision is not too heavy, but there are damages, and you know that the repair will cost about RM 300 to RM 500. Upset and angry, he demanded that you pay for the repair. Of course, the fault is yours and you agreed.


The Catch:

He sent the car to a workshop he trusted. When the bills arrived, it shocked the hell out of you. Instead of a simple repair that will cost about RM 300 to RM 500, the outstanding balance is an outrageous RM 2,000. You tried to argue the case, but it was all too late and is out RM 2,000.


The Shield:

Accidents happen, so there is no point in raising the point of driving cautiously here, especially when the scammers went all their way to scam you. However, there are certain keys that can be done to avoid falling for such scams.

1) Always request that the repair be done at a workshop that you trust.
2) Always take photos and keep the evidences of the damages. If such situation do rise up, it is possible to request quotation from other workshops, making it possible to argue your case.
3) Request for an on-the-spot settlement. If the damages are not too heavy and both parties can come to an agreement on the cost of repair, settle the amount on the spot to prevent changes upon sending the car to the workshop.
4) Claim insurance. All insurance for cars will cover third party vehicle. If the driver insist on sending the car to a certain workshop, request the cost of repair to be paid for by your insurance. As such, the workshop must bill and price appropriately.

Knowing the workshop are in league with the driver and they can only succeed if they work together without scrutiny, the key will be to either keep them apart or scrutinized their doings.