A North Carolina woman has found herself on the wrong side of the law, facing charges of insurance fraud and obtaining property by false pretense. The woman, identified as Amanda Michelle Austin, 36, of Middlesex, was nabbed by special agents after an insurance company unearthed a series of fraudulent documents, inclusive of police reports and altered photographs, which were used to support bogus claims on a renter’s insurance policy and a personal property policy, according to official reports from the state's North Carolina Department of Insurance.
The deception, which reportedly occurred on December 4 of the previous year, resulted in Austin illicitly obtaining $8,121; the charges against her carry the weight of felonies, such news comes straight from the desk of North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey. Austin’s arrest happened on February 27, and she has since been released on a $20,000 unsecured bond, she had her day in Nash County District Court on the turn of the month, April 1.
In light of incidents like this, Commissioner Causey has made a public appeal to residents of North Carolina to actively participate in curbing insurance fraud, which he asserts is destructive for all through the escalation of insurance premiums. "Insurance fraud is not a victimless crime," Causey stated, "It hits all of us in the pocket through higher premiums," as per the North Carolina Department of Insurance.
Given the widespread impact of such crimes, the department encourages citizens to step up against fraud by reporting any suspicious activities, providing not just the requisite hotlines but also the assurance of anonymity to those who choose to report. If you suspect insurance fraud or encounter suspicious white-collar crimes the Department of Insurance entreats you to make a report, you may anonymously do so by calling the Criminal Investigations Division at 919-807-6840, or if you're dialing from anywhere in North Carolina, you can reach the toll-free number at 888-680-7684.
