Fraud of the WeekAuto Fraud - CaliforniaAmount - $141,839

Four people have been arrested and charged with insurance fraud and conspiracy for claiming that a bear damaged 3 different vehicles. The first claim was for a bear entering and damaging the vehicle. A video of the bear in the vehicle was presented as part of the claim. The investigation showed that the bear was actually a man in a bear suit. The investigation found two other claims for the same date of loss and location for two different vehicles and two different insurers. Again, a man in a bear suit vandalized the vehicles. The department had wildlife experts view the video to ensure that it was not an actual bear but a man in a suit; the wildlife experts confirmed that no bear was involved. Upon execution of a search warrant, detectives found a bear suit in the suspects’ home.