The "ghost broker" — fake insurance sold in DMs

On Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp, a "broker" offers car, health or travel insurance far cheaper than any comparison site — thanks to "special access" or a "staff discount." You pay, and you may even receive real-looking documents. But the policy is forged — or bought from a real insurer with false details and quietly cancelled for a refund.

You discover you're uninsured at the worst possible moment: a crash, a claim, a police stop. UK insurers reported this "ghost broking" up sharply into 2025, and it also catches older buyers helping children or grandchildren find cheap cover.

What to do: buy insurance only from the insurer's own site or a broker you can verify on your financial regulator's public register. If the seller exists only inside a chat app, it isn't insurance — it's a PDF.