Auto insurance fraud charges in 2020 increased 44 per cent compared to the year previous, Manitoba Public Insurance announced. As of the end of December 2020, a total of 130 charges against 49 people have been laid, compared to 90 charges against 34 people in 2019.
While the COVID pandemic disrupted much of normal goings-on in our province, fraudsters didn’t miss a beat in their efforts to defraud Manitoba Public Insurance and its customers. This year’s Top 5 Fraud list highlights bogus claims, the effective use of forensic tools and astute MPI staff.
In the past few weeks the Steinbach RCMP have started to see an increase in CRA and Social Insurance Warrant frauds by telephone. RCMP are warning to be extra vigilant when receiving, either by telephone, mail, text message or email, a fraudulent communication that claims to be someone from the Canada Revenue Agency or the police.
Auto-insurance fraud charges in 2020 have nearly tripled from the year previous, according to Manitoba Public Insurance.
Steinbach RCMP are requesting the public’s assistance in identifying a male suspect connected to a recent fraud investigation.
Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) has learned that cyber criminals are now targeting the insurance industry, including principal companies and their customers.
Steinbach RCMP are asking the public for any information that may help identify a suspect who fraudulently used a stolen credit card at numerous businesses in the Steinbach area.
A total of 14 charges have been laid against five individuals this year who allegedly committed separate frauds against Manitoba Public Insurance.
Thousands of Canadians fall victim to fraud every year. In 2019, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) received 46,317 reports of fraud from Canadians, where 19,285 were victims with a total reported loss of $98M.
On January 8, 2020, St-Pierre-Jolys RCMP was notified that the detachment’s phone number was “spoofed” and being used by a scammer to coerce a local resident into emptying her bank account.