A new wave of fraudulent activity is emerging in the UK's personal injury claims sector, as fake foreign driving licenses increasingly appear in civil litigation.
HF's Intelligence Team has identified more than 40 forged licenses since the start of 2025, including 11 detected in the past month alone, a trend that may indicate organised criminal involvement.
According to HF partner and head of intelligence Rick Preston, many of the fraudulent licenses originate from criminal networks mass-producing counterfeit identity docuements. Others are being sold online as "novelty" or "party" items but Preston said it is difficult to believe the some of these suppliers are unaware that their products are being used for fraudulent purposes.
The consequences for claimants who submit fake documents are severe but wrongdoers seem undeterred. According to HF, a claimant who knowingly submits a false identity document risks invalidating their entire claim. They could also face contempt of court proceedings and potential criminal charges.
However, this issue doesn't seem to be confirmed to fraudulent claimants alone. Innocent victims are also being drawn into the fallout when another driver involved in an accident is using a false identity. Preston said that could raise difficult questions around insurance validity and liability, complicating what should be straightforward claims.
What this emerging pattern shows, Preston said, is the urgent need for greater vigilance and stronger verification measures across both the legal and insurance sectors. It also highlighted the growing need for intelligence-led approaches to identify forgeries that often escape routing checks.
HF's team noted several key indicators of fake licenses. Common red flags often include incorrect fonts or text alignment, misplaced information, invalid issue dates and faulty QR codes that fail to link to any licensing authority. Some forgeries, Preston said, are crudely made, while others closely mimic genuine documents, making expert review essential.
Still, the industry cannot afford to treat this as a minor problem, Preston said. As identity fraud continues to evolve, HF said it will continue to threaten to erode confidence in the claims process and unfairly impact genuine policyholders.
Industry specialists also warned that insurers and legal professionals must adapt quickly. The detection of false documents is not only about preventing financial loss but also about maintaining the integrity of the claims process and protecting legitimate policyholders from the fallout of organised fraud
