Ohio Reports New Insurance Scam Affecting Pocketbooks of Residents

HI INDIA NEWS DESK
COLUMBUS, OH – The Ohio Department of Insurance is warning the public about a scheme in which uninsured individuals attempt to obtain coverage after car accidents or property damage by altering paperwork to make it appear as if they had insurance at the time of the incident. This type of fraud is known as “past posting” and is illegal and punishable by financial penalties and jail time. The Director of the Department of Insurance, Judith French, says that insurance fraud not only harms insurance companies but also increases the premiums for Ohioans.

From July 2021 to June 2022, the Department of Insurance received 7,433 allegations of insurance fraud and insurance agent misconduct. The department opened 1,116 administrative and criminal investigations and took action against 162 individuals for potential law violations.

Nationally, the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud estimates that insurance fraud costs U.S. consumers and businesses $308.6 billion annually, equating to $932 per year for every American and over $70,000 in a person’s lifetime.

The Ohio Department of Insurance is also warning Ohio Medicare recipients about a telephone scam in which individuals falsely pose as representatives of the Social Security Administration, Medicare, and the Ohio Department of Insurance to steal personal information. The scammers claim that the person needs a new Medicare card or needs to turn in their paper card for a plastic card. The department stresses that government agencies do not make cold calls to Ohioans on Medicare.

Individuals who suspect they have been targeted by this scam should contact the Ohio Senior Medicare Patrol at (800) 448-6070 or visit proseniors.org.