Playing dead: Cashing in on insurance fraud

Successfully falsifying a death means someone isn’t caught, so it’s hard to know how many people succeed at perpetrating this type of fraud. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Mark Twain said, “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated,” when a newspaper mistakenly published his obituary. While death is a serious subject, some may view it as a creative solution to escape their problems.

When the economy is lagging and unemployment is on the rise, it’s not unusual for people to fall behind on mortgages, rent, car payments and other debts. The pressure can lead individuals to find new ways to pay for these responsibilities, which can result in some sort of insurance fraud. Faking their death or disappearing is one option.