Anxious consumers and businesses are increasingly turning to insurance fraud to escape financial turmoil, giving little thought to the very real consequences of perpetuating this serious crime. Just as their schemes have gained in complexity and vigor, so too has the investigative acumen of law enforcement, insurance carriers, and industry organizations.

In fighting this growing epidemic, our collective storytelling serves a valuable purpose—that is, to educate peers about emerging trends and the methodologies used to identify and deter them. Sharing these real-life crime dramas, from staged accidents to arson and workers' comp fraud, also underscores the toll exacted on insurers and society as a whole.

Here, we look back at some of the most sensational scammers of the first half of 2012.