Man Poses as Dead Mom False Claim Fraud — New Jersey

Amount: More Than $6,000

In the aftermath of natural disasters such as Hurricane Sandy incidents of false claim fraud occur much more frequently. Scammers are out to make a quick buck on vulnerable hurricane victims, and fraudsters are out to pull one over on the insurance companies who are working hard to satisfy claims from authentic victims. This week's Fraud of the Week highlights a man who impersonated his deceased mother in order to procure elderly insurance discounts for his own coverage, and to file false claims on behalf of his deceased mother.

After his mother passed away in late March 2012, he made a phone call to Hartford Insurance Company to transfer her AARP discounted renters insurance from her apartment to his apartment. He also added his own name to the policy, as her husband.

Subsequently he filed multiple claims for jewelry and other expensive items that he claimed were stolen from his car when he left his home during Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. He filed another claim for the same “stolen” items with American Banker's Insurance Company of Florida, who denied the claim.

He could receive up to ten years in prison for second-degree insurance fraud.