The Kia Challenge encourages people to steal Hyundai and Kia vehicles, and now a number of groups are pushing for a social media crackdown.
As part of the effort, the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, and the International Association of Special Investigation Units sent a joint letter to YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki, requesting the company remove ‘how to’ videos that provide detailed instructions for stealing cars.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau says that since these types of videos started appearing on social media, thefts of Hyundai and Kia vehicles have skyrocketed. In particular, they quoted the Cook County Sheriff’s Department as saying 601 Hyundai and Kia vehicles were stolen last August and that’s a 936% increase compared to the 58 that were stolen in August of 2021.
Also: Thefts Of Hyundai And Kia Models Are Soaring Throughout The U.S.
Chicago wasn’t alone in seeing a dramatic increase in Hyundai and Kia thefts as Los Angeles reportedly saw an 85% jump, while 48% of the 3,970 vehicles stolen in St. Louis last year, from January to August, were Hyundai and Kia models. In Milwaukee, which was the epicenter for the trend, two thirds of the 5,144 vehicles stolen in 2021, through July of that year, were made by Hyundai or Kia.
The groups claim YouTube is not doing enough and has “failed to remove many of these videos.” National Insurance Crime Bureau CEO David Glawe contends these clips should be taken down as “Everyday consumers are being victimized by criminals using social media platforms to learn their newest illegal tricks and techniques.”
His sentiments were echoed by Matthew Smith, the Executive Director of the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, who said “Insurance fraud is the crime we all pay for. Posting of videos such as these harms American consumers by increasing auto thefts and driving up higher premiums. It is time for practices such as these to stop.”