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AN undercover criminal has gone to extreme lengths to expose crash for cash crooks - by being in the front seat of a real-life car accident.

Investigative journalist Paul Connolly got behind the wheel to reveal a crooked team of taxi drivers who have been staging fake accidents so they can claim injury compensation.

An undercover TV show reveals criminals who are orchestrating car crashes to con victims out of cash
An undercover TV show reveals criminals who are orchestrating car crashes to con victims out of cash
The crooks trick unsuspecting drivers into crashing into their car - so that they can claim compensation
The crooks trick unsuspecting drivers into crashing into their car - so that they can claim compensation
Journalist Paul Connolly, right, is able to expose the criminals by staying in the vehicle during the scam
Journalist Paul Connolly, right, is able to expose the criminals by staying in the vehicle during the scamCredit: Channel 5

In the finale of the Channel 5 documentary, insurance expert Phillip Smith reveals that 60 per cent of all insurance fraud is estimated to be a cash for crash scam.

"That means there is one incident every ten minutes of every day of the year," he said.

"There is an amazing amount of money swashing about in this game.

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"It is not unusual to see four passengers in a car all claiming to have whiplash.

"Each individual in the vehicle could cost insurers as much as £10,000 -cash for doing nothing but scamming insurers.

"I have no doubt that for some people this is a full time job."

These are the faces of the two men involved in the scam that has conned insurers out of thousands of pounds
These are the faces of the two men involved in the scam that has conned insurers out of thousands of poundsCredit: Channel 5
An insurance expert believes many conmen are making a living out of the crash for cash scam
An insurance expert believes many conmen are making a living out of the crash for cash scamCredit: Channel 5

Connolly checks himself for injuries after the crash before revealing his true self.

He tells the crooks it is their chance to explain why they engineer "incredibly dangerous" crashes.

But the man denies it, saying "I'm a bloody taxi driver, I'm nothing else".

As the documentary ends, Connolly says "as of tonight he, in this business, is done".

Undercover Criminals: Car Crash for Cash will be shown on Channel 5 at 10pm on Wednesday.

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