Young drivers targeted by 'ghost brokers' selling fake car insurance online

Young drivers targeted by 'ghost brokers' selling fake car insurance onlineJust nowShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleEmer MoreauBusiness reporterGetty ImagesHalf of drivers aged 16-25 have bought policies through social media or messaging apps, the finance watchdog saysYoung drivers are being targeted by "ghost brokers" selling fake car insurance online, the finance watchdog has warned.Half of drivers aged 16-25 have bought policies through social media or messaging apps, many of which are fake, research from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) suggested.Some victims are unknowingly driving without insurance, meaning they could be prosecuted, fined or have their car seized, the FCA said.Often the "policies" are suspiciously cheap, but many young drivers stretched by cost of living pressures are lured in, it added.Driving without valid insurance is a criminal offence in the UK.The Insurance Fraud Bureau and insurance company Aviva have both reported an increase in ghost broking in recent years.The FCA Firm Checker can be used to confirm a broker is authorised.Legitimate insurance brokers should have a website, phone number and address, the FCA said.Amie Donaghey paid £700 for an internet insurance policy which turned out to be bogus Amie Donaghey, 21, told BBC News NI she was left with a criminal conviction after being conned by a ghost broker.She only realised she had bought a fake policy when she was stopped by police and discovered she was not insured.Amie said she was quoted a price that was "a fraction" of the £4,500 that high-street insurance companies were charging.When Amie tried to contact the "broker" after realising she had been scammed, she said he "ghosted" her. "I was blocked on everything," she said.The FCA, which surveyed 1,000 drivers, said many ghost brokers pose as legitimate insurance sellers but offer cheap rates.The policies are often completely bogus, are invalid because t...