![]() The claimant was interviewed by SIU and when presented with the evidence discovered during the investigation, the claimant admitted that the invoices were falsified to gain policy benefits. The claimant, an employee with the Department of Justice for the State of California, used their government email to send fabricated invoices to their personal account, which was ultimately forwarded to the claims adjuster. Upon closer review the tax amounts and font on the invoices were also different. The invoice numbers submitted were correct, but the items purchased on those invoices had been fabricated. An investigation revealed that the claimant had two previous National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) referrals for a burned vehicle and a theft of personal property claim with different insurance companies, as well as a third investigation for another burned vehicle.ĭuring the SIU investigation, nine receipts and invoices submitted from an online retailer had been falsified and manipulated. When processing the claim, multiple red flags popped up. "Fraudster stopped in his tracks and innocent policyholders were protected," Galassi said.Ī claim was filed for $2,200 worth of personal property being stolen from their vehicle. A letter was sent to the handling prosecutor identifying expenses totaling several thousand dollars. The Los Angeles District attorney's office requested an accounting of the costs of the claim including the fees paid to the forensic expert and a listing of the time spent on the investigation. The investigator met with the insured's attorney who, without being presented with full evidence, elected to withdraw from the case. By obtaining the claimant's in-person recorded interview and visiting the medical clinic from which the records were to have been generated, the investigator confirmed that the x-ray reports were forged. There was a match in the system reflecting a prior motorcycle collision and the same attorney as the present claim represented the claimant in a prior matter. The claimant was to have been in that second vehicle and sought representation with an attorney in pursuit of a bodily injury claim.Ī Mercury branch supervisor noted the time and date stamp on the x-ray films submitted on behalf of the claimant were taken prior to the time of loss. The following are examples in which Mercury has thwarted fraudsters looking for a big payday:Ī loss was reported when an insured's vehicle made a left turn and struck the claimant's vehicle which caused it to collide into another vehicle. ![]() Being one step ahead of criminals is what helps Mercury keep policyholder premiums some of the lowest in the industry." Mercury's SIU team is always on the lookout for criminals trying to scam their way into our wallets by filing phony claims. Fraudulent insurance claims cost policyholders $700 more each year. "That couldn't be further from the truth. "People might think that unless their personal information has been stolen and used for illegal activity, someone trying to scam an insurance company doesn't directly affect them," said Pete Galassi, Mercury Insurance Special Investigations Unit (SIU) Manager. However, it really is the public that is being taken advantage of in these situations. LOS ANGELES, J/ PRNewswire/ - Fraudulent crimes against insurance companies may seem victimless, as the ones being scammed are large organizations with seemingly a lot of money behind them. Mercury insurance protects policyholders and keeps rates low by being one step ahead of fraudsters
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