Traffic accident scam takes off in Mandalay

Traffic accident scam takes off in Mandalay

By Si Thu Lwin   |   Sunday, 10 November 2013

As the number of vehicles increases in Mandalay, residents are reporting a rise in motorists "faking" traffic accidents to demand compensation.

"They go for vehicles with only one motorist," said Ko Sai Sai from Aung Myay Thar San township, who was recently targeted by the scam.

"They followed my car, and then forced me to stop by driving at a high speed with their motorcycle when we reached a place that was not crowded. They brushed by my car and then threatened me, telling me to pay compensation on the spot."

He paid the money, he said, because he was intimidated.

"I didn't want to say too much to them because they were in a group," he said.

Daw Sein Sein, 50, told The Myanmar Times that she had faced a similar type of scam.

"I always drive my car slowly. A group with motorcycles followed me and a motorcycle brushed by my car," she said. "Then they asked me to give K30,000 (US$30). They drove off when I told them I would give compensation for repairs but would also call the traffic police."

She urged others to be vigilant to the methods of the motorcycle gang.

"I told my children to call the traffic police [if there is an accident] regardless of whatever happens," she said.

A police sergeant from Aung Myay Thar San township said police are aware of the scam.

"We are taking action effectively against those who are asking for money by pretending they have had road accidents," he said.

In Myanmar, it is common for motorists involved in an accident to settle matters privately rather than contact police so that they can avoid a lengthy and potentially expensive investigation, and the possibility of having to go to court. Despite this reluctance, traffic police in Mandalay say the increase in vehicles has meant an upsurge in work, the police sergeant said.

"There are a lot of traffic accidents," he said. "Some are solved on the spot, as soon as they face the accident, but some are settled in the court.

There are more than 540,000 vehicles registered in Mandalay, according to figures from the Road Transport Administration Department. The majority of these are motorcycles, with about 40,000 registered cars.

Translation by Thiri Min Htun

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/traffic-accident-scam-takes-off-in-mandalay/