Fraud of the Week

July 4, 2016

Accident Fraud—California

Amount: $13,709

A California fire captain and his brother, an insurance agent, were arrested on multiple counts of insurance fraud. The fire captain was off duty and hit a deer while driving, causing significant damage to his vehicle. He was uninjured and uninsured. From the accident site he called his brother, who reinstated his policy; they then falsified the timeline of the accident and reported the claim to the carrier. Suspicious, investigators asked for copies of the phone records. None were received, and one month later the claim was withdrawn. They have been booked into jail and bail for each is $120,000.