In Poland, ‘ringers’ have appeared: a road scam scheme that Ukrainian refugees should be aware of.
Moving to another country always requires adaptation to new realities — legal, household, language, and road. Since the beginning of the war, millions of Ukrainians found themselves in Poland, and many of them have already bought cars or use rented vehicles. But recently, a new threat has appeared in Warsaw, which every driver should be aware of – especially those who have not yet fully understood Polish traffic rules. This is a fraudulent scheme popularly known as “rings”. The mechanism of this scam is simple, but very dangerous: criminals provoke accidents at roundabouts in order to later demand insurance payments.
How the “ring” scheme works: tactics of scammers
This is a scheme in Europe, it began to gain a mass character in Warsaw, which caused a reaction from the police. The topic is especially relevant for Ukrainians who often drive cars with Ukrainian license plates or are not yet fully oriented in the complex network of Polish intersections and traffic rules. Criminals specifically choose roundabouts (rings) — junctions with an increased level of difficulty in maneuvering, where it is easy to provoke a mistake by another driver. Fraudsters often act in pairs: one car brakes sharply in front of the victim’s car, the other can cut to the left or “squeeze” into a circle. The result is a collision. The driver, who according to the rules should have yielded, looks guilty, although the whole situation is created artificially.
The main purpose of such incidents is not broken bumpers, but insurance payments. If the driver has insurance (especially if it’s comprehensive or international), the scammers expect that everything will be settled with no questions asked. They do not call the police, act confidently, emotionally pressure and try to quickly draw up a “friendly” act – that is, agree on the spot without the involvement of the services.
Sometimes the scheme is complicated: fraudsters try to use their car, which has already been damaged in previous incidents, or they emphasize that they urgently need to go, and the analysis on the spot will take time. Thus, they try to exclude the presence of the police or video recording.
Who are chosen as victims
According to the observations of the police and insurance agents, the targets of “ringmen” are often:
— cars with foreign registration (especially Ukrainian);
— cars driven by people aged 25–45 — those who look confident but may not be fully aware of local nuances;
— women driving, whom fraudsters try to psychologically pressure (for example, shout, accuse, imitate indignation);
— drivers who do not have a video recorder in the cabin (such cars can be specially “hunted down”).
All these signs point to one thing: criminals do not choose randomly, but carefully analyze the situation on the road, looking for a potentially vulnerable victim.
Police response and warnings
The Warsaw police have already publicly warned several times about the “ring” scheme, urging drivers:
— keep a safe distance, especially when entering the ring;
– do not agree to “debriefing without the police”;
— always call the patrol, even if the damage seems minimal;
— record everything on video — both the moment of the collision itself and subsequent communication;
– refuse to sign any documents if there are suspicions of fraud.
In some cases, drivers reported attempts at pressure, blackmail or intentionally creating an emergency situation. That is why the authorities emphasize: fraud on the roads is not an accident, but a well-planned activity that has consequences not only for the insurance wallet, but also for safety.
What should Ukrainians do while driving
If you are involved in an accident – even a minor one – do not panic. In Poland, the police are obliged to respond to calls, and insurance companies take cases involving foreign cars seriously. In no case do not leave the scene without registration. Don’t be swayed by offers to “break up” quickly. And remember: if someone acts too aggressively or insists on an urgent solution, this is the first sign that something is wrong.
Useful to have in the car:
— video recorder with automatic saving of files;
— notes with numbers of local services: police, insurance, consulate;
— a sample form for self-filling the traffic accident report (can be found on the Internet in Polish and Ukrainian).
The roundabout scheme is another reminder that not every road accident is an accident. You should be careful, do not make compromises with strangers and trust only official procedures. This especially applies to Ukrainian refugees who are just adjusting to new conditions and can become easy prey for criminals. More caution means less risk.
