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INSURANCE FRAUD RING TAKEDOWN

1/27/2022

COLORADO SPRINGS INSURANCE INVESTIGATORS

In a report that was just released today and a crime, insurance fraud, we've been working for over 30 years, the DOJ announced that 23 people were indicted in connection to approximately 14 pre-planned car accidents netting over $1 million in insurance claims between 2017 and 2020. This type of insurance fraud has been going on since the early 1980's. We've seen it ebb and flow but as long as there's insurance in place, there's criminals out here to try and take advantage of it.

According to the 81-page indictment filed last month, the defendants are accused of planning the collisions, orchestrating them mostly on secluded roads where only the accused defendants could be witnesses to the crash, fraudulently making insurance claims, and fabricating or exaggerating injuries between July 4, 2017, and September 25, 2020. As stated previously, we've seen this scam going on for 30+ years and it's always the same. A good insurance investigator has to be on the lookout for similarities in claims and try to connect the players together as they usually serve as witnesses for each other on these false claims. It does take some digging but geography usually works in an investigator's favor as these rings usually operate in a limited area choosing not to go to other states to stage these accidents.

In some of the pre-planned accidents there were not even any drivers or passengers. The suspects just used something heavy to assure the airbags deployed and hammers to break the windows of the vehicles. In one case we worked several years ago, the father of this family crime ring dug a deep hole, had his 14-year old son put one leg in the hole, then the dad took a running jump and pushed his son so that the leg in the hole would break. I'm sure he got Dad of the Year for that one, but it was so they could claim injuries from an automobile accident that never occurred.

Our Colorado Springs Insurance Investigators work with a variety of insurance companies to find the fraudulent claims that are alive and well and gather the evidence to prove they are fraudulent. If your SIU isn't sniffing out these fraudulent claims as well as they should be, give us a call and let us bring our over 30+ years of experience to work on your claims. Call us at 719.208.4088

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EMPLOYEE THEFT????

1/24/2022

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Today we're going to discuss several types of employee theft that can occur and which business owners should be aware of. These have been going on for decades, but if you know what to look for (security cameras within a business are a must) you can spot them pretty easily. An alternative if you're seeing your gross receipts taking a dip, is to hire an undercover investigator that knows what to look for. If that's something you need to discuss, our Colorado Springs-based private investigations team is ready to go over options.

Family Discounts

This is exactly what you think it is. It usually involves an employee giving a discount to their family or friends by using their discount code if they have one. Alternatively they can provide products or services to a family member or friend, act as if they are legitimately ringing up the sale, and then zero out the sale at the register during, or after the "sale" is completed. It's estimated that this kind of theft costs businesses over $100 billion a year. You read that right, $100 billion a year. And you and I are paying for this theft in the increased cost of items. Don't ever forget that. This is far from a victimless crime!

Gift Cards

This one you have to be on the lookout for as an owner or honest manager as you'll have to rely on your customers to bring this to your attention. It works like this. A customer brings in a gift card that has an amount left on it, they've usually used it before, but isn't quite sure how much. A dishonest employee can easily scan the card and tell the customer that it has nothing left on it. Most times a trusting customer is going to take their word for it. The employee then pockets the card and spends it at a different location. Sneaky!!!!

Cash in the Pocket

This one involves an employee, usually working alone, taking the opportunity anytime a customer pays with cash to enrich themselves. This theft involves the employee acting like they are ringing up the sale, even going as far as scanning the item and producing a receipt for the customer, only to go back and process a return or an immediate refund so that it looks like the customer bought something and then quickly changed their mind. The way to catch this one is by making sure you're checking the daily receipts, EVERY DAY!!!

Under Ringing

This one is usually used in conjunction with family or friends. The employee basically doesn't ring up everything that they place in the bag, "gifting" an item or two to the friend or family member. You can catch this one by reviewing security camera footage or by frequent inventory, but taking inventory is only going to show you're missing an item(s) and not why.

Theft of Products

Just like it sounds, this one involves an employee taking items from stock and not paying for them. It can be a simple as placing an item in a purse or backpack and walking out or, in the case of a restaurant, eating food that hasn't been paid for.

Phantom Company Theft

This is one we've seen a lot of and which can cost an owner their business. Literally! It happens when an owner places too much trust in one employee. You know, the employee who never takes a vacation, arrives early and stays late, and is more than happy to make sure all the bills are paid on time relieving the business owner of that hassle. The thing they are relieving the business owner of is their hard-earned money!!!! This theft takes time to put into place but involves the employee writing checks on the bank account to dummy companies they set up accounts for. The real sophisticated ones will produce dummy invoices to match up with the checks they are sending out all for their own benefit. If you don't take anything else from this article remember this. Always have checks and balances in place so that one employee alone doesn't have total control over the books and check writing. Make sure to reconcile the checks going out and the invoices that those checks are paying. It very well could be that those checks are circling back to your "trusted employee's" back pocket. Make sure EVERY employee takes time off and vacation. We've seen cases where an employee hasn't taken time off or vacation for 5-6 years, and when that employee was sick or absolutely had to be away from work, it was discovered that they'd been embezzling from the company for years.

Think you may have an employee theft problem? Call our Colorado Springs-based professional private investigators to see how we can help you identify the problem and provide a solution.

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THE PUPPET MASTER on Netflix

1/20/2022

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Private Investigators and Netflix and Colorado Springs

In a rare chance to watch something on Netflix, or any other streaming service for that matter, I had a chance to view The Puppet Master which is a fascinating look at a true conman in England who plied his wares for many years through his master manipulation of a variety of people, primarily women but several men as well. (SPOILER ALERT UPCOMING)

Going by the name of Rob and David, to name just a few, Robert Hendy-Freegard masqueraded as an MI-5 Agent for years conning his victims, and their parents, out of their life savings in many instances. After being tried and convicted in 2005 to life in prison, he was released in 2009 after his kidnapping charges were overturned. I highly recommend it as it shows how the police were mostly powerless to stop him for quite some time as most of his victims were willing victims although the argument could be made they were brainwashed, willing victims.

This limited series also shows how professional private investigators can fill the void when the police can't, or are unwilling, to look into this type of crime.

If you suspect someone isn't who they say they are, possibly has a shady background, or just gives you a bad feeling, call us at EXCALIBUR Legal Support - Private Investigation for a free consultation and we'll discuss options that you may want to explore. Located in Colorado Springs, but our cases take us all over the country and we're here to help you no matter where you may live.

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INSURANCE FRAUD RING TAKEDOWN

EMPLOYEE THEFT????

THE PUPPET MASTER on Netflix

Colorado Private Investigator Blog

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