Who commits Insurance
Fraud?
Perhaps no other crime attracts such a wide
variety of perpetrators as insurance fraud. As indicated by the files of the
Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor, insurance fraud is committed by people
from all classes and is not limited to any one occupation.
Types of Insurance
Fraud
- Staged automobile accidents.
- Over billing for services rendered by health
care practitioners.
- Billing for services not rendered by
health care practitioners.
- Receiving treatment for nonexistent
injuries.
- Manufacturing or selling counterfeit motor
vehicle insurance cards.
- Submitting a false claim in order to be paid
for services that were not received or provided. (Punishable by 5-10 years
in prison if claim is submitted by any licensed professional)
- Falsifying statements in order to obtain
insurance.
- Receiving any kickbacks or compensation in
connection with the furnishing of items or services covered by Medicaid.
- Receiving Medicaid benefits to which you are
not entitled.
- Receiving disability benefits if you are not
disabled and really are capable of performing your job.
The Penalty for Insurance
Fraud
- Any licensed professional convicted of health
care claims fraud can be punished by 5-10 years in prison and can be
required to pay a fine of up to $150,000 or up to five times the amount
of the claim.
- Any person who is not a licensed professional
and is convicted of health care claims fraud may be punished by 3-5
years in prison in addition to a fine. (For filing just one fraudulent
claim!)
- Any person who manufactures or sells a
counterfeit motor vehicle insurance card may be punished by up to 18
months in jail and a $10,000 fine. Additionally, any person
convicted of this offense will be required to perform 30 days of
community service.
- Any person convicted of Medicaid fraud may be
punished by up to 3 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
What can you do to combat
insurance fraud?
If you have specific information or suspect
that individuals or entities may be committing insurance fraud, please contact
the Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office at 1-866-Fraud-no
(1-866-372-8366) or contact the New Jersey Office of Insurance Fraud
Prosecutor at (877) 533-7283. For additional information on insurance
fraud, please visit http://www.njinsurancefraud.org.
INSURANCE FRAUD IS A
SERIOUS CRIME. DON'T DO IT. DON'T TOLERATE IT.
www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/prosecutor
