Targeted Only Side Mirrors With a Tap of the Arm... Man in His 50s Arrested for 80 "Wrist-Strike" Insurance Frauds

Stole 10 Million Won in Insurance and Settlement Money Over Three Months

A man in his 50s has been apprehended by the police for pocketing insurance payouts and settlement money using the so-called "wrist-strike" method, in which he intentionally hits his arm against vehicle side mirrors.

The Busan Police Agency announced on April 22 that they had arrested a man in his 50s, referred to as Mr. A, on charges of insurance fraud and fraud, and handed him over to the prosecution on April 20.

According to the investigation, from January to April 2026, Mr. A committed these acts for about three months in the Bujeon-dong area of Busanjin-gu. He targeted slow-moving vehicles while roaming backstreets with heavy foot traffic, such as around Bujeon Market, Seomyeon, and near the Korea Electric Power Corporation's Busan-Ulsan branch.

Scene of the wrist twist scam demanding money by hitting the arm on the side mirror.
Photo by Busan Police Agency

According to the police, Mr. A would deliberately make contact with his arm on vehicle side mirrors, then claim insurance payouts or demand settlement money from drivers. He committed this scheme a total of 80 times, receiving anywhere from 20,000 won to 300,000 won per incident and amassing approximately 10 million won in total.

Of these, four cases involved violating the Special Act on Insurance Fraud Prevention, through which he obtained about 1.7 million won in insurance payouts. The remaining 76 cases were categorized as fraud, with Mr. A extracting approximately 8.3 million won in settlement money.

Mr. A, who is unemployed, reportedly spent the proceeds from his crimes on living expenses and entertainment, such as lodging fees and alcohol.

The police identified Mr. A as the suspect by analyzing dashcam footage from victim vehicles, CCTV in the vicinity of the incidents, and his financial transactions. During questioning, Mr. A admitted to all charges.

The Busan Police Agency stated, "If there is suspicion of a staged accident, such as deliberately making bodily contact with a vehicle, it is essential to report it as a traffic accident and secure evidence like dashcam footage," adding, "We will strengthen investigations to eradicate similar crimes."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.