Fake injury fraudsters targeting drivers in Coquitlam parking lots: RCMP

The alleged incidents have all happened in parking lots at busy Metro Vancouver malls.

Coquitlam RCMP is warning drivers to beware of parking lot fraud after receiving at least three separate reports in the area since last December.

According to the reports, pedestrians are waiting in parking lots for cars to back up before pretending to get hit. The scammers are then pressuring drivers to pay them a cash settlement on the spot instead of calling ICBC to make a claim.

The RCMP said there is a possibility scammers are targeting Canadians of Asian descent, and that they are operating outside of the city as well.

“We have a strong suspicion this is happening around Metro Vancouver and we want people to be aware of the scam and what they can do to protect themselves,” said Cpl. Michael McLaughlin of the Coquitlam RCMP.

If drivers suspect they are being targeting by one of these scammers, McLaughlin said they should use the ICBC collision settlement process and call police immediately.

“If you’re dealing with a scammer they won’t want to go through the ICBC process,” he said.

So far, no one has been charged.

CTV Vancouver reported on a similar story in February where a scammer allegedly committed multiple accounts of parking lot fraud at malls in Richmond and Burnaby.