Since accusations of insurance fraud can be considered a federal offense, they shouldn’t be taken lightly. If you are facing such charges, enlist the aid of a skilled defense lawyer who has experience handling white-collar crimes. Here’s what you need to know about the most common types of insurance fraud.

3 Insurance Fraud Schemes Commonly Handled by Defense Lawyers

1. Damaged or Stolen Car

People might take advantage of a car accident to commit insurance fraud, getting an estimate for the damages to the vehicle and collecting the insurance money—without having the car fixed. Some people even stage a crash with the help of a co-conspirator; the value of the vehicles and damage done to them is inflated to secure larger payouts. In other cases, individuals may get rid of their car through surreptitious means—such as unloading it on an overseas buyer without paperwork—and then claiming it was stolen.

2. Home Burglary 

Orchestrating a fake robbery allows for various types of insurance fraud. Renters insurance can be collected if the building itself is damaged. People may also say valuable possessions, like a laptop or jewelry, are “stolen,” when they’ve actually hired a criminal to stage the theft and sell the computer for financial gain.

3. Staged House Fire

If a homeowner has a property they are having trouble selling, they may resort to a staged house fire to get insurance money instead. Most individuals secure an alibi by hiring another criminal to vandalize and set fire to the building, allowing them to look like the victim. The person staging the fire may also ensure that valuables were in the house at the time, so they can maximize their financial gain.

Don’t let insurance fraud—a potential felony—mar your record for life. Secure a top-quality defense lawyer at James F. Bogen, Attorney at Law. This law practice has been serving the Greater Cincinnati, OH, area since 2002. Count on his longstanding experience to help you. Find a breakdown of the types of white-collar crimes the defense lawyer handles online. To schedule an in-person meeting, call him directly at (513) 503-7251.