Conman Jailed for Fake Crash Dating Scam
A smooth-talking fraudster who tricked women from dating sites into staging car crashes has been slammed behind bars for 20 months by a Bournemouth court.
Nathan Atkins’ Ruthless Fake Crash Scheme
Nathan Atkins, 46, from Ferndown, Dorset, ran a cold-hearted scam from June 2020 to October 2022. Using dodgy aliases like Philip Realon and Tony Richards, he fooled vulnerable women into helping him pull off bogus car accidents.
Police branded Atkins “predatory in his approach,” revealing how he manipulated the women to stage crashes to claim insurance cash.
Sixteen Fake Claims Uncovered
Atkins coached the women with scripts and used cars he snagged at auctions for the staged collisions. The Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED) and Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) exposed 16 fraudulent claims linked to Atkins’ scam.
Detective Constable Carley Parodi warned: “Atkins preyed on vulnerable women, using them as pawns in a dangerous scheme that could easily have ended in tragedy. It’s a miracle no one was seriously injured.”
One particularly chilling case involved a woman who was seven months pregnant.
No Winners, Just Victims and Fines
The women involved didn’t profit and each faced police cautions after admitting their parts. Atkins kept silent during early interviews but later pled guilty to six counts of fraud by false representation. He now faces a £6,000 compensation order alongside his jail time.
Nicola Smith from the IFB urged: “This case highlights a disturbing trend of criminals exploiting online dating for fraud. Users should stay alert and report suspicious behaviour to Action Fraud.”
