A 23-year-old Burke County man found himself on the wrong side of the law after allegedly exploiting the insurance system with fraudulent claims. Dylan Scott Smith of Morganton faces charges including insurance fraud and obtaining property by false pretense after authorities say he filed a repeated accident claim with Chubb Insurance for an incident dating back to 2023, securing a sizable payout of $15,041.
The North Carolina Department of Insurance reported according to a press release documented on the North Carolina Department of Insurance website. Scrutiny by the state's Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey's team revealed something amiss; Smith had already been compensated for the reported damages to his 2019 Honda Accord.
The probe into Smith's financial machinations didn't stop at the recurring claim, investigators also unearthed a tactic involving "fraudulently obtained bank information from SunCoast General Insurance" used to pay a premium to the same insurance company, the scheme totaling $1,950 as per the same press release.
The North Carolina Department of Insurance captured the essence of the predicament when proclaiming "Insurance fraud hits consumers in the wallet," explaining the financial repercussions such actions cast upon the average individual, "Approximately 20 cents of every insurance premium dollar goes to covering the cost of fraud," he added, as the report detailed his commitment to counteract insurance fraud by pursuing and prosecuting those involved; as a direct consequence, individuals such as Dylan Scott Smith find themselves ensnared by the law, subsequently he was arrested on July 1 and had his day in court on July 21 after posting a $10,000 secured bond.
The Department of Insurance encourages the public to remain vigilant and report any suspected insurance fraud by calling their division at 919-807-6840 or by using their toll-free number 888-680-7684 for those calling from anywhere within North Carolina.
