New drivers urged to beware of these social media car insurance scams

New drivers are being warned not to fall for too-good-to-be-true car insurance deals being offered on social media platforms.

Adverts on services such as Facebook and Instagram claim to offer lower insurance deals than traditional providers and are targeted at new drivers and others who struggle with high premiums.

However, the adverts are fronts for con artists who steal money from unsuspecting motorists and leave them at risk of huge bills and possible prosecution for driving without insurance.

Driving without insurance can carry an unlimited fine, six penalty points and a driving ban. Police can also seize your car. Any driver involved in a crash while uninsured will also have to pay for any damage out of their own pocket.

The Insurance Fraud Bureau is warning that with a rush of new drivers taking to the roads as driving tests return to normal, thousands of new drivers could be exposed to so-called ghost broking scams.

Stephen Dalton, head of intelligence and investigations at the IFB, said: “The last thing new drivers need right now is to risk losing their car for no insurance because they’ve been duped by a scammer on social media. Drivers must carry out basic checks to make sure they’re buying car insurance through a trusted provider, or they’ll be making a very expensive mistake.”