Disability benefits fraud has been one of the fastest rising types of fraud in recent times, more so with the ongoing pandemic making it harder for insurance companies to verify claims. The good news is that professional surveillance by private investigators has been found to be effective in cracking down cases. Read on below to find out more about how surveillance by private investigators can expose disability benefits fraud.
But first, What is Disability Benefits Fraud?
This type of fraud happens when someone lies about an injury so that they can claim some benefits from an insurance company. This can range from exaggerating injuries up to faking injuries altogether. By doing so, the fraudster will get paid time off from work plus disability benefits from insurance companies. Some also pretend that their disabilities or injuries are taking a long time to heal to get more time off of work and more disability benefits.
Disability Benefits Fraud in Canada
With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging throughout the world, the way people work has changed. This resulted in more people finding ways to abuse the support that they receive from CERB or apply for benefits when they shouldn’t qualify in the first place. Kingston WHIG reports that insurance companies in Canada have been dutifully investigating disability benefits claims but their efforts are not enough considering the increasing number of people who are making claims. By approving claims before proper verification, insurance companies are losing millions paying for fake disability benefits claims.
Expose Disability Benefits Fraud by Hiring Private Investigators
Private insurance companies often work with private investigators to investigate and verify suspected cases of disability benefits fraud. There are many reasons why private investigators are hired for this. Some are:
- Private investigators possess the skills and training to get the job done.
- Private investigators have the time to dedicate to each case including going over leads and camping out for a full day of surveillance if necessary. Insurance agents often do not have this luxury.
- Private investigators know how to collect the right evidence and document them in such a way that will allow them to retain legal admissibility in court.
After surveillance, private investigators compile all the information in a comprehensive report before submitting the information to the insurance company.
How Do Private Investigators Conduct Surveillance?
First off, surveillance is defined as an information-gathering method used by private investigators that involve skillfully watching and/or monitoring an individual as that person does their daily activities. A skilled private investigator can do this without being found or without alerting the person who is being investigated. This is crucial when someone is faking an injury or has a fake insurance claim because individuals who do this often act the part in public view and only when they think that nobody is watching is when they can be recorded behaving in a normal or uninjured manner. Surveillance by a private investigator can be done from a vehicle, on foot, or from a nearby location.
After verifying the presence of fraud or any misleading information, the private investigator will submit the information to the insurance company which can then refute the fraudster’s insurance or disability benefits claim. The perpetrator can then face fines, jail time, and other penalties. This is how we expose disability benefits fraud in Haywood Hunt and Associates. Do not hesitate to contact us should you need help with fraud or have questions about our private investigation services.
