Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) shares the top five fraud cases that investigators had to deal with in 2018.

The public insurer says that they released the list to raise awareness about the costs of auto fraud. MPI estimates that fraud costs every ratepayer about $50 per year for a total of about $50 million. The cases profiled show the unique circumstances of each fraud and how much investigators were able to save.

In 2018 MPI’s Special Investigation Unit closed more than 1600 investigations and saved more than $10 million as of the end of November.

MPI also encourages anyone with information about auto insurance fraud to call the MPI TIPS Line 204-985-8477. All calls to the Tips line are anonymous says MPI.

No. 1: “Comic-Con Job”

A devout fan of Comic-Con, the 25-year-old woman was observed walking around Winnipeg’s Convention Centre for six hours, enjoying her favourite superheroes, wizards, spaceships, and zombies. An investigator also observed the woman going on numerous shopping trips and driving the two-hour round trip from her rural home to Winnipeg.

Just one problem: the woman was collecting income replacement payments after stating she was unable to work due to injuries from a motor vehicle collision. She told her MPI case manager she could only walk a maximum of 15 minutes before getting dizzy and was unable to drive for long periods of time. After receiving information via the Tips Line, an investigation was opened.

Manitoba Public Insurance terminated the woman’s income replacement payments and demanded repayment of $34,000 in benefits already paid out.

No. 2: “Polite Arsonist”

Witnesses quickly told a different story after a woman claimed she had given her car to her son, aged 22. The son reported the keys to the vehicle were stolen while he was attending a house party.

Investigators say that one witness stated that while driving down a road in rural Manitoba around 7 a.m., he was shocked to see a man deliberately light a fire within a vehicle that was parked in a ditch. As the flames engulfed the car the witnesses stopped and asked the male if he was okay. The man replied “Yes, thanks. And have a nice day,” before running off into the bush. The witness reported the incident to RCMP.

As the investigation unfolded it was learned that the same vehicle, a Dodge Nitro, was involved in a hit and run collision the night before in Winnipeg. A man who was awoken from the crash rushed outside and was told by a young man “not to speak to police”. The witness said the male appeared highly intoxicated quickly drove away.

The driver of the vehicle was identified by witnesses after police showed them photos of the individuals.

The claim was denied for false statement, resulting in a savings of $57,000.

No. 3: “Breakfast Blunder!”

After police found her vehicle badly damaged the owner of the vehicle opened a claim with MPI saying that she had loaned the vehicle to her 45-year-old son. The son said he had gone for breakfast with his brother at a downtown hotel and at one point went to the washroom while his brother went to play VLTs leaving his sweater unattended. He claims that an unknown person must have taken the keys from the sweater pocket.

It didn’t take long for investigators to punch holes in the story after learning that the hotel had stopped serving breakfast years before and a that the mans brother claimed he hadn’t seen his sibling for over nine months.

MPI demanded repayment of  $22,800 that had already been paid.

No. 4: “Not So Jolly Christmas Party”

While attending a Christmas party with his girlfriend a man claimed that someone stole his vehicle from a nearby parking lot. The man told MPI he was missing a key to the vehicle.

The vehicle was recovered near the man’s home crashed into a tree.

Investigators learned that the man and his girlfriend had returned home from the party and that the male had appeared intoxicated and agitated. Soon after he arrived home he was seen driving the allegedly stolen vehicle.

When confronted by investigators the male withdrew his claim which would have given him $22.600.

No. 5: “Vehicle Technology Tells All”

Man withdraws claim after told onboard data recorder would confirm drivers weight.

The owner of a 2014 Nissan Titan opened a claim after his vehicle was badly damaged after crashing into a ditch in rural Manitoba. The owner claimed that he was driving at the time of the collision.

Investigators received several tips which pointed to the man’s wife as the actual driver. At the time it was alleged that the woman was highly intoxicated. Police were not able to place his wife at the crash scene.

Once told of the information that would be recovered through a download of the data recorder the claimed was dropped saving nearly $40,000.

© 2018 News 4

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