An attempted insurance scam was thwarted when the culprits unknowingly targeted a vehicle with a dashcam. TikTok user @ashpianatasha4 shared her experience while driving in Queens, New York, on October 16, suspecting she was a victim of an insurance fraud scheme.
In her post, Ashpia detailed the incident: “I was driving in the left lane of the Belt Parkway, heading east towards the Southern State Parkway. The silver Honda (LBB 8917) was in the middle lane, cut me off, and suddenly stopped, trying to make me hit them.” She successfully braked in time, avoiding a crash, but the Honda’s occupants took further action.
Dashcam footage shows the car reversing into her vehicle, with the passengers then pretending to be injured. Two men and two women got out, with one man holding his head and a woman holding her jaw while filming Ashpia’s license plate. Ashpia suspected they were attempting to claim she hit their car as part of an insurance scam. She also noted that the rear windshield of the Honda was covered with a tarp, which fell off when they reversed into her.
Ashpia explained that the male driver switched to the passenger seat before exiting the vehicle. He then “slipped out through the passenger side into a red KIA SUV (KJH 3340),” which had been following her from a distance. The red SUV picked up the driver and drove off, leaving the other three to continue faking injuries.
However, when one of the men noticed the dashcam, his behavior changed. Initially approaching Ashpia’s car, he quickly turned back upon seeing the camera and spoke with one of the women. After realizing they were being recorded, the group quickly asked for her insurance information and left soon after.
Ashpia called the police and reported the incident as an accident. However, officers informed her they wouldn’t respond unless someone was injured or the parties refused to exchange information. She later realized the entire event was a scam attempt.
The dashcam footage attracted attention online, with viewers pointing out suspicious behavior. One comment noted, “Why did they all immediately take pictures of YOUR car?!” Another responded, “They’re trying to exaggerate the accident for insurance money. That’s why he looked worried when he saw the dashcam.” Another viewer added, “His reaction when he saw the dashcam after pretending to hold his head is hilarious.”