Spam Calls After an Accident? Here's Why [Explained]

If you’ve recently found yourself asking, “Why am I getting calls after an accident?”, we can clear up your confusion.

After an auto accident, you could receive phone calls from various parties, such as insurance companies or repair shops. These phone calls are often related to info about your accident, determining liability or discussing repairs.

However, some phone calls may be from lead generators or scam operations trying to exploit you.

It’s common for accident victims to see upticks in spam calls after their accidents. In fact, unwanted calls are the FCC’s top consumer complaint.

Your personal information could be more vulnerable than you think after a crash.

In this page, we will explain why these spam calls happen, how to stop them and what steps you need to take to protect yourself.

And, if you were injured in your accident, an experienced personal injury attorney at our firm can help you recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain, suffering and more.

What sets us apart from other personal injury lawyers is how hard we work for our clients and our excellent communication. We provide our clients with personal attention. We make sure our clients always know the status of their cases and can actually talk to the lawyers handling their cases rather than just a case manager or paralegal.

We have been handling personal injury claims since 1990 and have recovered over $750,000,000 for our clients. Best of all, you can hire our expertise and experience without paying us a single penny until we win your case.

Call an experienced car accident lawyer at our firm today for a FREE consultation at (800) 718-4658 or contact us.

Why You’re Getting Spam Calls After an Accident

After an accident occurs, you may receive unsolicited messages or calls from those claiming to be medical providers, insurance adjusters, lawyers, or official-sounding organizations such as “Auto Accident Helpline” or “Accident Resources.” These people might promise recovery assistance, free resources, or claim your insurer asked them to call you.

However, a lot of these calls are illegitimate. The callers might be trying to engage in illegal or unethical practices such as collecting personal information for fraud or committing identity theft, getting you to receive unnecessary medical treatment, or selling your case to lawyers for a referral fee.

Lead generators and scammers get your information via various methods, including public records such as accident reports in some states. Law firms may use data mining services in order to collect information and contact accident victims. Lead generation companies may purchase your info from public accident reports, then send that info to businesses such as law firms. This can lead to unwanted calls.

Scammers might also get your details via data breaches, social media tracking, through records that were illegally sold by businesses such as hospitals or towing services, or by monitoring police scanners.

Sometimes, if you simply sign up for a car insurance quote online, this may involve agreeing to receive phone calls from multiple companies.

Scammers might also utilize caller ID spoofing in order to look like a local number or official source.

It’s important to keep in mind that real lawyers will not cold call you after an accident.

Who Is Calling You and Why?

There are legitimate reasons for people to call you after an accident. These include:

Insurance companies: Your insurance company as well as the at-fault driver’s insurance company might call you in order to investigate your accident, discuss potential claims and assess damages.
Repair shops: If you have filed an insurance claim, an insurance adjuster may refer you to a repair shop, or a repair shop may directly contact you in order to schedule repairs.
Medical facilities: If you were given medical attention after your accident, medical professionals or a medical facility could call in order to follow up on your treatment or injuries.

However, some of the people calling you may be scammers or practicing unethical business:

Unsolicited calls from “case runners” or attorneys: Be wary of phone calls from those claiming to be attorneys or offering to connect accident victims like yourself with attorneys, especially if you are being contacted immediately after your accident. Some lawyers are allowed to solicit via cold calls, but strict rules apply, and an unsolicited call may be a red flag. Some lawyers who cold call accident victims may use misleading or aggressive tactics to pressure you into signing with them, especially if they think you are unsure of how to proceed or vulnerable.
Scammers posing as medical professionals or insurance adjusters: Some callers could pretend to be medical personnel, law enforcement or insurance adjusters to collect personal info, pressure you into seeking medical services which are unnecessary, record statements which might be used against you, or pressure you into accepting a fast settlement.
Scammers posing as other professionals: Callers might pretend to be lawyers or victim advocates. Scammers posing as professionals might aim to extract your personal details, push you towards unneeded services, or pressure you to sign documents or visit a specific clinic. Some might even send you illegitimate documents.
Business solicitors: Some callers represent businesses like repair shops or law firms who are looking for your business. These may be unethical cold calls from referral services or those who solicit services you might not need.
Chiropractors: Physical therapists or chiropractors may try to solicit your business after an accident. They might charge you higher fees for their business, taking advantage of your vulnerable situation and medical payment coverage.

The goals of scammers include:

Selling cases: Selling your info to lawyers for a referral fee.
Financial gain: Pushing you into overpriced or unneeded repairs or medical treatment.
Gaining personal information: Obtaining details such as insurance policy information or your driver’s license number, possibly for identity theft.
Guiding you to a specific clinic or lawyer: Steering you towards businesses which may be practicing business unethically.
Fraudulent claims: Submitting claims which are inflated to insurers for exaggerated or fake damages or injuries.

What Are Some Signs That a Phone Call Is Actually a Scammer?

Warning signs that can indicate a call is a spam or scam caller include:

Calls soon after an accident: If you’re called by a stranger within days of your accident, they probably got your data from a police report or data broker system, particularly if you haven’t yet filed a claim. These calls are commonly from those trying to get to you before you’re able to contact a reputable insurer or lawyer.
Unsolicited contact: Legitimate insurers, medical providers or lawyers typically aren’t cold callers of accident victims. Be wary if you receive a phone call that you did not initiate.
Certain phrases: Scammers may use phrases like, “We’re calling to check up on you after the accident you were in,” “We have free resources which can help you recover,” or “We were asked to reach out to you by your insurance company.”
Pressure tactics: Scammers may pressure you to make a decision quickly, such as choosing a specific legal representative or repair shop, or settling quickly.
Offers which are too good to be true: Be wary of promises of quick compensation or free services without proper verification or documentation.
Requests for personal information: Don’t share sensitive details like bank account information, policy numbers, your driver’s license number or your Social Security Number to unknown callers.
Demanding upfront payments: Legitimate services typically don’t require upfront fees.
Suspicious background noise or accents: Scammers might operate from a call center in another country.
Refusal to provide contact information or company name: It’s a red flag when a caller is hesitant to provide details regarding their organization or identity.

The Risks of Spam Calls After a Crash

Some phone calls can be potentially harmful attempts to get a hold of your info. Examples include:

Referral kickback schemes: Offers for free treatment are often linked to illegal referrals. Services which are referred, like medical clinics, could exaggerate injuries in order to bill your insurance company. This can impact your injury claim and recovery.
Insurance fraud: Scammers pretend to be insurers, asking for crash details so they can file a false claim which may delay your ability to recover the insurance payout you’re owed.
Settlement scams: High compensation is promised by scammers. However, these offers could involve fraudulent contracts or hidden fees.
Identity theft and phishing: Calls could impersonate banks, insurance companies or government agencies to ask for personal data and commit financial fraud or identity theft.

Americans lost an estimated $39.5 billion to phone scams in 2022.

Are These Car Accident Scam Calls Legal?

Many of these calls violate state and federal telemarketing laws. Whether you’re a driver or a passenger in a car accident, you have legal protections against unsolicited contact from scammers and fraudsters.

Some states, like California, restrict solicitation by legal professionals after an accident.

You may be called on the phone after a car accident by someone representing a law firm you never called. This person is called a runner, and is paid by unethical lawyers to convince accident victims to hire their law firms. The runners are paid commissions for convincing accident victims to sign as clients.

It is illegal to use a runner to solicit business for a law firm or attorney under California Business and Professions Code 6152. Law firms or attorneys who use runners can face as long as 12 months in jail and/or fines of $15,000 for first offenses, and can face 2-4 years in prison and/or a fine of $15,000 for second offenses.

In addition, these calls from lawyers or law firms also violate Rule 7.3 of the State Bar of California.

Telemarketing fraud, in general, is illegal under California Business and Professions Code 17511.9. This criminalizes the use of fraud or deceit via phone calls in order to generate sales.

Misdemeanor telemarketing fraud can be punished by up to one year in jail and a $10,000 fine. Felony telemarketing fraud can be punished by up to three years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Is Accident Helpline Legit? Why Is the Accident Helpline Calling Me?

Be wary of any unsolicited calls which claim to be from “Accident Helpline” or a similar organization. A lot of these calls are illegitimate and could be trying to sell your case to an attorney for a referral fee, or push you towards unneeded medical treatment.

These calls may claim to be from organizations like “Auto Accident Helpline” or “Accident Resources.” They may offer free repair estimates, compensation, or claim to have to approve your claim, often with the goal of obtaining personal information.

Some entities operating under names like “Accident Helpline” might not be regulated by top financial authorities. This raises concerns regarding possible issues such as unfair pricing, hidden fees or trouble recovering funds when something goes wrong.

If you need help after an accident, it’s best to rely on your insurer or seek advice from trusted legal professionals who you directly contact.

Why Is My Car Crash Report Calling Me?

You’re receiving calls from “My Car Crash Report” because your info has probably been shared with numerous parties after your accident.

The calls you’re receiving may be from scammers. They may be trying to get you to give business to unethical organizations. Worse, they may be trying to gain your personal information to sell it to other parties or even use it for identity theft.

If you need an accident report after a car accident, you should directly contact the appropriate organization for it where you live. This may be the law enforcement agency that responded to your accident, or it may be your state’s Department of Transportation.

Why Is Carcrashreport.org Calling Me?

According to the Cross Timbers Gazette, the Corinth Police Department in Texas recently warned residents about a new scam which involves crash reports.

According to the Corinth Police Department, a citizen who was in a car accident advised that a crash report company contacted her and told her the other driver’s insurer assumed complete responsibility. They gave the citizen a website where she could “get her report.” The citizen told police she visited the website and found her personal identifying information there.

The officer who talked to this citizen found this suspicious and did research into the website, finding that it’s potentially a scam which pulls information from state crash reports.

According to the Cross Timbers Gazette, should you receive a similar call, the scammer might claim to represent carcrashreport.org and ask for accident details.

The Corinth Police Department advised that these calls are not from law enforcement agencies.

KVUE also reported on this potential scam. According to KVUE, the scam targets those who have been in car accidents recently. The callers claim to be from carcrashreport.org and ask for details about accidents. They will falsely state that an accident or crash report is ready to be picked up at a local law enforcement center. The calls are not from law enforcement.

Why Am I Receiving a Phone Call From Injury Review?

According to Nomorobo, people are receiving robocalls from “Injury Review.”

These are likely unethical cold calls from those seeking to sell your case details to lawyers for referral fees.

If you have been injured in a car accident, you should call a reputable car accident lawyer yourself. Reputable car accident lawyers will typically not cold call you.

What Does It Mean When an Insurance Company Calls You After an Accident?

If you receive a call from someone claiming to represent your insurance company after an accident, you should hang up and call your insurance company using a verifiable phone number, such as a phone number listed on their website or in your policy documents. When you call your insurance company, verify that the call you just received was from them.

Scammers may claim to be calling on behalf of your insurance company, attempting to get your personal information which they may use to commit identity theft.

If you receive a call from another driver’s insurance company after a car accident, you should not talk to them. You should let a lawyer talk to them for you instead.

The primary goal that another driver’s insurance company has when they call you is to protect their financial interests. This often involves denying or minimizing claims.

You should be aware of the following when dealing with another driver’s insurance company:

They might record your statement: Be careful about what you tell them. Anything you say may be used against you.
They could offer a quick settlement: This will likely be a low ball offer which won’t cover all of your expenses, especially if your injuries are still in development.
Avoid admitting fault: Do not accept blame or speculate, even if you think you were partially at fault for the accident.
Be careful about discussing your injuries: Downplaying your injuries may hurt your claim.

If you have been injured in an accident and receive a phone call from another driver’s insurance company, it is best for you not to talk with them at all. You should instead hire an experienced car accident lawyer and let your lawyer talk with other parties’ insurers for you. Doing this can protect your legal rights and help you maximize the compensation you receive for your injuries.

What Happens if You Answer a Spam Call by Accident? Can I Be Scammed by Picking up a Phone Call?

If you accidentally answer a spam call, the following may occur:

Increased spam calls: Answering spam calls signals to callers that your phone number is active. This can lead to more spam calls, as it indicates you may be a good target for scams in the future.
Scam attempts: Scammers might try to talk with you, trying to get personal information like your address, name or bank details.
Identity theft: Scammers could record your voice, then use it for phishing attacks or to impersonate you in order to get access to your accounts.
Financial loss: Should you agree to send money or provide financial information, you might lose money to a scammer.

Be careful about falling victim to scammers. Be wary of providing personal information over the phone. If you’re not sure about a call’s legitimacy, it is in your best interests to hang up.

How to Handle Calls After a Car Accident

Be wary of unexpected calls: Scammers will often contact accident victims immediately after car accidents, even prior to reports being made. Legitimate lawyers usually won’t cold-call victims of accidents.
Trust your intuition: Anything that feels wrong probably is.
Don’t sign things from unknown sources: Scammers might send documents which are disguised as legal forms.
Don’t engage: The safest and easiest approach is to hang up on callers who are suspicious. If you’re not sure about a call’s legitimacy, hang up and contact the agency or company directly using a phone number that is verified in order to confirm the communication’s legitimacy.
Be careful about providing info: Be cautious about providing accident or injury details to callers who are unknown, especially if you’re being pressured for information. Be wary about providing personal details or revealing personal information. Don’t provide information like financial details, insurance policy numbers, Social Security Numbers or your driver’s license without verifying the legitimacy of the caller.
Beware of pressure tactics: Scammers will often use pressure tactics in order to get you to reveal information or act quickly.
Verify callers’ identities: Should you choose to engage, ask for the name of the caller as well as their contact information and company. Independently verify the legitimacy of the caller before taking action.
Don’t admit fault: Do not admit fault to another driver’s insurance company. This may be later used against you.
Refer to your lawyer: If you’re represented by a lawyer, tell the caller your lawyer handles all communication regarding your accident.
Consult with your lawyer: If you’re receiving unwanted calls or aren’t sure about a call, consult with your lawyer. Your lawyer can advise you regarding how you should proceed.
Report suspicious calls: If you think you’re dealing with scammers, you may report the phone calls to authorities or a local bar association. You can report unsolicited calls to the FTC at donotcall.gov. Insurance fraud can be reported to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
Tell your insurer: If a caller claims that they represent your insurance company, or an organization that works on behalf of your insurance company, directly contact your insurance company using a phone number which is verifiable, meaning from their official website or policy documents, in order to confirm the contact’s authenticity.

How to Stop Spam Calls After an Accident

You probably can’t fully prevent yourself from getting spam calls. However, to minimize your contact with spam numbers, you can:

Avoid answering unknown numbers: Let these calls go to your voicemail.
Block spam numbers: Block these phone numbers as they come in.
Filter robocalls: You can filter robocalls with your phone settings or call-blocking apps.
Join the Do Not Call Registry: You can add your number to the National Do Not Call Registry and report unwanted calls 31 days after registering your number.

Work With a Trusted Car Accident Lawyer Today

We have been practicing personal injury law for over 35 years and have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for clients.

You won’t have to pay us any fee for our legal representation until we win your case. The only fee we charge for our legal assistance is a percentage of any compensation we recover for you.

Call us today for a FREE legal consultation at (800) 718-4658 or contact us so we can help you pursue fair compensation for your car accident injuries.