The move is called the “swoop and squat.”

Two or more cars coordinate on the road to box in another driver. They slam on the brakes, and suddenly the unsuspecting driver is faced with an accident and, even scarier, insurance costs that can be financially crippling.

That’s where Jonna Gajda of Glen Ellyn comes in.

For the last five years Gajda has investigated these types of fraudulent injury claims, ferreting out schemes that all told cost insurance companies and Americans billions of dollars every year.

As an insurance fraudbuster investigator for Encompass Insurance, which is part of Allstate Insurance, Gajda has uncovered schemes of all magnitudes. They range from suspicious fender benders to a conspiring ring of fraudulent doctors.

“We really feel there is no minimum for fraud,” she said.

A member of Encompass' Special Investigation Unit, Gajda is called in when not everything is right with an insurance claim.

“The claims (representative) will notices some flags on the file. We call them indicators,” Gajda said.

The indicators could be anything from a long history of claims to a suspicious circumstances. The investigation often involves law enforcement authorities and, Gajda said, are always thorough, requiring a review of all the details of the case.

When she first tells people what she does, Gajda faces a stigma from people who assume she’s part of a corporate ploy not to fulfill insurance claims. But eventually, she said, people realize her job actually helps keep insurance costs down.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau, a nonprofit group founded by the insurance industry, estimates that insurance fraud costs Americans about $30 billion a year. This equates to $300 in higher insurance premiums for the average household.

“It’s very worthwhile to everybody,” Gajda said. “It helps everybody. It saves money.”

She admitted that devoting her life to investigating insurance scams can make her cynical, especially when fraud is so prevalent. Insurance industry studies indicate that at least 10 percent of claims are fraudulent, she said.

“It’s a challenge to stay optimistic,” she said. “But you have to. You have to stay open to every case.”