The news that Florida’s Disaster Fraud Action Strike Team (DFAST) has been activated in response to Hurricane Michael is a reminder that after a devastating hurricane or wildfire, homeowners may be victimized a second time – by unscrupulous contractors. Recent …
Timothy Matthew Cox, owner of Nationwide Catastrophe Services, Inc. and Restoration Response Services, Inc., was arrested for an alleged Assignment of Benefits (AOB) fraud scheme that impacted 19 homeowners in eight Florida counties and one Texas county, according to an …
Federal Prison for East Texas Family Members Guilty of Stealing Hurricane Relief Funds An East Texas couple and their adult daughter were each sentenced to federal prison recently for their roles in stealing federal funds that were intended to aid …
Several Texas homeowners who have participated in a state-run, quick hit program to repair homes damaged during Hurricane Harvey said Wednesday their houses are worse off than before they were fixed because of incomplete or shoddy work. The program is …
There’s been a dramatic reduction in Texas hail litigation resulting from new legislation enacted last year, according to Steve Badger, senior partner with Dallas-based Zelle law firm and an outspoken advocate of hail litigation reform. During the Combined Claims Conference …
After Superstorm Sandy flooded the first floor of his New Jersey home with 4 feet of water, Rich Bindell shelled out tens of thousands of dollars to a contractor he knew was approved by the state and had done other …
This year, extensive flooding has already affected parts of Texas and Louisiana. With more rain producing floods forecasted for the southern part of the U.S. this spring, the likelihood of disaster fraud increases. Disaster-related fraud affects auto, homeowners and commercial …
Lieutenant Governor and Insurance Director Mary Taylor announced Ohio’s top fraud and enforcement cases for 2014 investigated by the Ohio Department of Insurance. During the calendar year, the department processed 7,173 allegations of agent misconduct and insurance fraud, initiated 1,709 …
Investigators from Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office are working in central and southern Illinois communities severely damaged by tornadoes. Already, one out-of-state organization is under investigation for a potential fundraising scam tied to relief efforts. Madigan said Monday that …
A Louisiana consultant already serving federal and state prison sentences for bribing state officials in the home-elevation grant program, pleaded guilty to six counts of theft, for taking money from people but not doing the work. The Times-Picayune reports Rickey …