Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Another issue that has been brought to my attention is ghost broking. This appears to be gaining prevalence and should be highlighted in this House. The Garda has in the past issued warnings to motorists about ghost broking, which is an insurance scam to which many people have fallen victim.

This scam sees motorists being charged for fake insurance policies which give them the impression they are fully covered when, in reality, no cover has been provided. The vast majority of fraudulent companies offering such policies are to be found online. They typically state they represent legitimate insurers. The policies they sell are obtained from insurance companies using false information and changed before being sold to customers. The obvious impact of this is that the purchaser does not hold a valid certificate of insurance and there is no cover in place. This leaves them liable for any damage caused or offence committed as a result of having no motor insurance. We should have a buyer beware campaign to educate the public and stamp out such activity.

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