Anti Insurance Fraud Video Wins Award For Students

NU Online News Service, Dec.17, 10:34 a.m. EST

A group of college students has won an award for an anti insurance fraud video posted on YouTube, the New York Alliance Against Insurance Fraud (NYAAIF) said.

NYAAIF earlier this month celebrated the winners of its YouTube video contest at its annual meeting in New York.

The Top contest honor went to three SUNY Cortland students. John Passmore of Horseheads, N.Y.; Teresa Riley of Liverpool, N.Y.; and Joe Sciortino, of West Harrison, N.Y. were awarded $500 for producing a short entitled "Buying Insurance Fraud."

The fraud prevention video contest was open to students enrolled in New York colleges and universities and ran this past September. After a two week period of public viewing on YouTube, the NYAAIF board reviewed the videos and selected the grand prize winner.

The winning video focused on the cost of insurance fraud for Americans-over $80 billion each year- which, could "fund NASA . . . or send 12 million kids to college." the video said.

"The board was very impressed with the message these students put together, literally explaining NYAAIF's tagline 'fraud, the crime you pay for,'" John Sargent, NYAAIF chair said.

According to NYAAIF research has proven that awareness has been the most effective method for reducing and preventing insurance fraud.

"NYAAIF initiated this contest in an effort to increase awareness within the younger generations," Mr. Sargent said. "We think the contest was successful in reaching this target audience. Ultimately, we hope it also proves successful in educating individuals at an early age about the price and consequences of insurance fraud."

NYAAIF is a cooperative effort by insurance companies in New York to educate consumers about the costs of insurance fraud, the many forms it can take and what they can do to fight back.

The organization, which is online at www.fraudny.com, noted that individuals can call 1-888-FRAUD NY to anonymously report suspected cases of fraud.