Economic woes and double-digit unemployment are being blamed for a rash of staged auto accidents perpetuated by criminals against unsuspecting motorists to line their pockets via fraudulent insurance claims. Ten individuals were arrested earlier this year for allegedly being involved in a staged auto accident ring operating near Raleigh, N.C. The state’s department of insurance reports five different insurance companies paid out a total of $76,217 because of fraudulent claims supposedly made by the group between August 2009 and January 2010.