Viral dashcam video exposes alleged insurance fraud on Belt Parkway

NEW YORK - A shocking dashcam video captured on the Belt Parkway in Queens has gone viral, showing what appears to be a staged crash involving a Honda Accord that reversed into an SUV after cutting it off.

The incident, now suspected to be a case of insurance fraud, has drawn widespread attention online.

First posted on TikTok, the video begins with Natasha Ashipa driving when a Honda Accord suddenly cuts her off, forcing her to slam on the brakes. Moments later, the Accord reverses violently into her vehicle. 

"This guy just reversed into me. What the hell is going on?" a clearly shaken Ashipa can be heard saying in the video.

Speaking to FOX 5, retired NYPD officer and criminal justice professor Michael Salazar said that the footage shows that the event was not an accident.

"Totally planned, I'm sure they've done it before," Salazar said. "When you watch the video again, you see that there was a Hefty bag covering the rear windshield, and they were trying to prop it back up, apparently to cover up who the drivers were."

Insurance fraud scams like this often target lone drivers, especially women, according to Salazar. The National Insurance Crime Bureau reports that such schemes are more prevalent in urban areas with heavy traffic, like New York City.

Salazar advised drivers to always use a dashcam and to contact 9-1-1 immediately if involved in an accident they believe to be staged.