- 2 weeks ago
Rogue Claimers - Season 2 Episode 8
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Short filmTranscript
00:06insurance fraud has reached epidemic levels in the UK it's costing us more
00:10than 1.3 billion pounds every year that's almost 3.6 million pounds every
00:16day deliberate crashes bogus personal injuries even phantom pets the fraudsters
00:25are risking more and more to make a quick killing and every year it's adding
00:29around 50 pounds to your insurance bill but insurers are fighting back exposing
00:34just under 15 fake claims every hour armed with the latest fraud busting
00:39technology subject out the vehicle including covert surveillance systems
00:44sophisticated data analysis techniques and specially trained fraud investigators
00:49oh they're catching these chances red-handed instead of getting away with
00:56it even more of these fraudsters are getting caught out this is road claimers
01:08today the story that started and ended with a car crash forget formula one wacky races is more like it
01:16it's all concerned ill-prepared and ill-executed a supermarket scammer comes a
01:23cropper due to video evidence we do see a loose tin of soup she didn't fall over
01:29this kind of soup as she suggests and how a premeditated bump left one fraudster
01:35bankrupt and behind bars he's slammed on his brakes really suddenly and violently and caused a collision
01:42that actually involved two other vehicles
01:50accidents happen but with two insurance scams every minute brokers must stay alert to bogus personal injury
01:57claims Zurich recently dealt with one woman who took her claim all the way to court despite the evidence
02:04being totally stacked against her we provide liability cover for our policy holder as a retailer
02:10and we got notification of a claim from a woman who had come into one of their stores and allegedly
02:16tripped up on a loose can of soup the claimant suggested that as a result of her fall she had
02:23badly twisted her knee which incapacitated her and had a real quick effect on her life we initially
02:31purely based on the injury valued this claim in the region of 10,000 pounds but as the claim developed
02:37it grew in value given what she was suggesting that she couldn't do as a result of this injury in
02:43fact
02:43this escalated to around 100,000 pounds a significant amount when there were very real doubts because of a
02:51serious lack of evidence although the matter was reported to the store manager at the time there
02:56were no witnesses who actually saw her falling on any item so there was no corroboration to actually
03:02suggest that this had happened so it was necessary to establish the facts the medical evidence suggested that
03:10she had sustained an injury to her knee but there was also suggestions that the impact had actually
03:16had quite a dramatic effect on her life she was unable to do various tasks around the house care for
03:22relatives
03:23so the claim value was increasing as more and more information came forward suggesting what effect it had had
03:42on her life so it was all systems go and Zurich liaised with its
03:59policyholder the retailer which fortunately had numerous CCTV cameras in the store that should have captured the fall
04:07What the CCTV footage does show is that she actually did come into the store that day and it also
04:13shows that there was
04:14shelf stacking and we do see a loose tin of soup what it doesn't show however is the two together
04:23i.e. she didn't fall over this
04:24tin of soup as she suggests in fact the claimant helpfully hands the can back to one of the assistants
04:30no sign of injury
04:32here the CCTV footage is really helpful to us because it shows that although there was a loose tin that
04:39day there
04:39wasn't any suggestion that she'd fallen over it but she was determined to exploit the soup can slip for all
04:45it was worth
04:47As the claim progressed we were informed more and more about what this claimant says that she couldn't do
04:52So she had trouble cleaning her windows
04:55There was a patio laid that she had to employ someone to relay
04:58She was suggesting this injury that had had quite a devastating effect on her life
05:03Whilst at the start we thought this claim was worth in the region of £10,000
05:06Due to the ongoing issues around our health and care that grew to around £100,000
05:13That's right £100,000 for an accident that as far as the evidence suggested never even happened
05:20During our investigations and while we were still not convinced that this was a genuine claim
05:25Her solicitors decided to litigate and take us to court
05:29So at that point the matter was referred to Keoghs to represent us and defend the claim on our behalf
05:34The claimant was very quick off the mark to bring a claim
05:38She had instructed her solicitors on the day of the incident prior to even being medically examined
05:44Investigations commenced, extensive documentation was requested from the claimant
05:49Which included medical records, employment records and claims history
05:55A full detailed forensic examination was carried out of those records
06:00Which were extensive
06:03What we also managed to find out and this was through medical evidence
06:06Was that she had quite a checkered past in terms of medical history
06:10So she had ongoing symptoms, she had been receiving treatment
06:13So there was a real question mark over whether this injury actually happened
06:17And if it did, what effect it had given the other symptoms and conditions that she had
06:23And it wasn't just the medical information that helped build a realistic picture of the soup can slipper
06:29Material supplied by the Department for Work and Pensions was very revealing
06:34The review of the records actually showed prior to the accident
06:38The claimant hadn't actually worked for more than 20 years
06:41Wasn't able to step out of her home alone
06:44And wasn't able to walk for more than 4 metres
06:47So getting to the shop must have been quite a feat for her
06:50The revelations didn't end there
06:53The claimant has stated that her husband had been a complete rock in the relationship
06:58And post-accident provided a substantial amount of care
07:02However, in direct contrast, the DWP records actually showed that there had not been any marital relationship
07:10And in fact, they had lived apart for years
07:13The records also showed that the claimant had been on mobility allowance for several years
07:19What was becoming clear to us was that this woman had fabricated this claim
07:24She had suggested that she had fallen in the retailer
07:26When in actual fact she hadn't
07:28What she had was various ailments and medical conditions that she was looking for compensation for
07:33And at one point she suggested that she had to employ the services of her carer
07:38That carer, coincidentally, was allegedly in the store at the time of the fall
07:43Which we also found quite bizarre
07:46Given the rather damning evidence, there was an opportunity for the claimant to reconsider what she was doing
07:53The evidence was presented to the claimant
07:56And she was, on a number of occasions, invited to discontinue her claim
08:00However, despite the invitations, she proceeded on going to trial
08:06The claimant gave evidence, the medical expert gave evidence
08:10However, the estranged husband failed to give any evidence
08:15Along with the claimant's daughter and the paid carer
08:19These are the three people who you would think had most to say in support of the claimant
08:26The defendant was satisfied that they had sufficient evidence in this matter
08:30And it was only on day three that the claimant decided that she would discontinue her claim
08:36Once the claimant had discontinued her claim, the defendant made an immediate application
08:40For a finding of fundamental dishonesty
08:43To allow the defendant to then recover their costs against the claimant
08:47The judge found that the claimant had been dishonest in her support of a claim for care
08:54And as a result, the entirety of the claim was dismissed
08:58Which enabled the defendant to recover their costs in full
09:01There was no evidence she had slipped
09:04The records held clearly revealed she had lied
09:07Yet she still pushed the case through to court, where justice prevailed
09:11The message is quite simple
09:13We work tirelessly with insurers to ensure that only genuine claims are paid
09:18Fraudsters are however warned
09:20If they seek to exaggerate genuine incidents
09:24Then they will risk losing everything
09:27And they will face the consequences
09:29A complete total wipeout
09:37Later, a jewellery lover with form loses her sparkle
09:42This lady, using various aliases, had been taking out false policies
09:48And making claims across the whole industry for a number of years
09:59Crash for cash scams are incredibly dangerous
10:02With criminals deliberately causing accidents for payouts
10:05With millions on the road, anyone is a target for these staged stings
10:10In our next case, Aviva and DAC Beechcroft joined forces
10:14To ensure a fraudster who put lives at risk didn't get off scot-free
10:18This particular individual initially presented a claim for damage to his vehicle
10:24And whiplash for him and a passenger as a result of a rear end shunt
10:28He claimed was caused by our customer
10:30His claim was that he was slowing down in traffic when our insured collided with the rear of his car
10:39The claim included repairs to his vehicle of approximately £1,700 and two whiplash injuries
10:45And in total the whole claim was worth approximately £7,500
10:50Photos from the scene of the accident and our inspection of the vehicles confirmed that there was damage
10:55To the front of our customer's vehicle and the rear of his vehicle
10:59But the sequence of events that had caused the accident was in dispute
11:03Our customer was adamant that the individual had cut in front of him
11:08And then break suddenly and violently giving him no opportunity at all to avoid a collision
11:15What's very helpful if you are involved in a suspicious accident
11:19And which our customer did on this occasion was to identify any witnesses
11:22And take photographs of the scene at the time
11:26With differing versions of the events that led to the shunt
11:29Aviva involved the legal firm DAC Beechcroft
11:34There were two competing storers so we had to carry out investigations to get our hands on evidence
11:39To either support the insured or the claimant's version of events
11:43An employee of the local council approached the driver of the third vehicle
11:46To say that the accident would probably have been captured on CCTV
11:50We approached the local authority to get our hands on the CCTV footage
11:54And actually obtained footage of the accident occurring
12:04What's clear is that the CCTV evidence cast a very different complexion on his plane
12:09So, watching the video, it's obviously a very busy dual carriageway
12:13Fast moving traffic, it's clear there's no vehicles in front of him
12:19He's slammed on his brakes really suddenly and violently and caused a collision
12:23It actually involved two other vehicles
12:27There's no reason for him to stop and it's quite clear that he's deliberately caused the accident
12:32It's a very, very dangerous thing to do
12:35The CCTV is really compelling footage
12:38When a lawyer gets their hands on that sort of evidence
12:40It really makes and breaks the case
12:41So, to have it in support of our insured version of events
12:43Was completely great for us and defending the claim
12:48It was certainly going to help
12:50The claimant's dangerous actions were laid bare for all to judge
12:54So, the next course of action we had to go through
12:57Having got the CCTV footage was to disclose it to the claimant's solicitors
13:02And this had an interesting outcome
13:05As a result of confronting him and his solicitors with the CCTV evidence
13:11His solicitors decided they would no longer act for him
13:15So, the claimant was left to represent himself and he didn't do well
13:19He failed to enter the correct documents in time for proceedings
13:23So, the claim was struck out
13:25This means the court dismissed it without a full hearing of the evidence
13:28For the victim and Aviva, this was deeply unsatisfactory
13:33As it could have allowed the claimant to simply walk away
13:38After the court struck the claim out
13:40We informed Aviva of the outcome
13:43And also informed them of the evidence that we had
13:45And gave them advice to take further steps
13:48To send a really strong deterrent message to the claimant
13:52From this blatantly fraudulent claim
13:54Causing such a dangerous accident
13:57We made an application to the court for a finding of fundamental dishonesty
14:02We were successful and as a result of that the court awarded
14:06Ten thousand pounds worth of costs against him
14:09He wasn't able to pay the costs award against him
14:13So, he was declared bankrupt
14:16But even then, we thought the accident that he caused was just so dangerous
14:21That we took further steps
14:26We provided further advice to Aviva and recommended that we pursue the claimant for contempt of court
14:32And having committed to prison
14:34The justification for this was that the papers the claimant submitted to court
14:39Have been proved by the CCTV to be blatant lies
14:44We made an application in the matter for the claimant to be committed to the High Court
14:49When we went back in front of the judge in this claim
14:51The judge agreed with us that the claimant had pursued a deliberately dishonest claim
14:55Found him in contempt of court and sentenced him to nine months in prison
15:03A good result that had been worth taking through the courts
15:07Cash for crash accidents and deliberately induced accidents are a growing menace to the public
15:11Most of them result in minor injuries to the innocent motorists
15:16But increasingly members of the public are placed at risk
15:19And there's even been the first fatality in the UK due to a deliberately induced accident
15:25We were pleased with the outcome
15:26I think what it shows is that people who deliberately cause accidents on the road
15:33And put customers and motorists at risk
15:36That there are consequences for that crime
15:39Because that's what it is, it's a crime
15:46In our digital age, insurance companies can instantly share data to spot patterns
15:51When alarming similarities pop up
15:53It's a powerful tool for catching serial fraudsters
15:56Like this woman who used her insider knowledge to try her luck with multiple insurers
16:01We had quite an emotional call from this lady who reported that she'd lost her wedding and engagement ring
16:10While she'd been visiting a local spa with her mother-in-law
16:16She actually took the rings off before she had a manicure
16:21She found that the rings weren't in her bag where she said she put them
16:26And she had checked with the spa and the spa had confirmed that they had not found them
16:32She wasn't coping very well with the loss and in fact she told us that she'd been crying most of
16:38the weekend
16:38The engagement ring was estimated to be valued at £3,000
16:43And the wedding ring at £2,900
16:49So what should have been a relaxing day out for the claimant turned into something more traumatic
16:54We began to make the moves necessary to settle the claim as quickly as possible
17:00And to alleviate the distress of our policy holder
17:06The claimant would be pleased to hear that
17:08But during the high-tech checks that are made during a case like this
17:11A worrying aspect came to light
17:15We were alerted by one of our systems to an anomaly in respect of this claim
17:20There was another claim under a different name
17:24But with a number of similar factors about it
17:28With another insurance company
17:31And interestingly it was for identical items
17:35So some striking similarities
17:38But a client with a different name
17:40What's the chance of that?
17:42Of course when she took out the policy insurance with us
17:46She didn't disclose to us that she'd had any previous claims
17:51The same items but two different women? Or were they?
17:56As we looked into this lady more and more
18:00We began to unravel a real spider's web of deceit
18:06And aliases used across the whole industry
18:10With numerous policies and claims having been made over a number of years
18:15And indeed we found another claim dating back to 2008 in our own system
18:22Again under a different name
18:26This was just the start of an investigation
18:29Which revealed how prolific this woman was
18:32We contacted numerous other insurers
18:35And confirmed that this lady using various aliases
18:39Had been taking out false policies and making claims across the whole industry for a number of years
18:49In fact there were a couple of insurers who had declined to renew her policies
18:55Because of the number of claims that she had made against them
19:00She had form and thought she knew how to work the system
19:04It was found that this lady actually worked in the industry for an insurance broker
19:10And had some 20 years experience of the insurance industry
19:14And she was clearly using this to stay below the radar
19:19And enable her to take out fraudulent policies and make fraudulent claims
19:24You'd think, knowing the industry, she'd realise that companies share information
19:28She'd overplayed her hand on this occasion
19:31We currently at this time had two policies in existence within RSA
19:36So we wrote to both of our policy holders
19:40Which of course we knew to be the same person
19:43Pointing out the facts to them
19:45We did mention that we believed them to be the same person
19:48And we also pointed out the multiple other policies
19:53That were in existence with other insurers
19:56That we believed also to be the same person
19:59Oh, to be a fly on the wall when the claimant opened that letter
20:03Unsurprisingly, we didn't get a response from this lady
20:07Whatever her real name might be
20:09The case was passed to the police
20:12Who confirmed she'd committed multiple frauds under multiple names
20:16Ultimately, she was charged with six cases of four by four potences
20:21By now, she must have realised she had nowhere to hide
20:25She pleaded guilty at court and was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment
20:31Suspended for two years
20:33And ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid immunity work
20:37And it didn't stop there
20:40She will have to repay the £19,000 that she has accrued from these frauds over the years
20:50Interestingly, the judge said that should she ever do anything like this again
20:55Her feet will not touch the ground on the way to prison
21:00The consequences for this lady are really quite devastating
21:04She has a conviction now
21:06And of course, she will be on the insurance fraud register now
21:10Which will make it very difficult for her to obtain insurance cover in the future
21:20Cars are vital but costly
21:22Between insurance, MOTs and servicing, an accident is the last thing you need
21:29Our roads are increasingly congested
21:32Yet keeping a motor well-maintained isn't a priority for everyone
21:36As Direct Line discovered
21:38This next case reveals the extent some scammers will go to
21:42In order to cover costs that they're not really entitled to
21:46The claim that Direct Line received was a single vehicle road traffic accident
21:53Involving our policy holder's Audi motor car
21:56Good morning, you're for Direct Line
21:58Are you phoning to report a claim?
22:01Yes
22:01When was it your car was involved in the incident?
22:04Yesterday
22:04So we got yesterday the 29th, what time at roughly?
22:08Roughly between 1 to 4
22:121 to 4
22:13So were you in the car at the time?
22:16The man on the phone hadn't been in the car at the time of the accident
22:19But was calling on behalf of a family member who was the driver
22:23He was driving on the Air 14
22:26And he lost control
22:28Because the road bends and it was wet
22:32It was quite cold last night
22:34And he had black ice in the road
22:36He collided with the concrete
22:39He was shaking
22:40How's he getting on? Is he all right?
22:42Yeah, he's okay
22:43He's just recovering from the, you know, the incident
22:49Because the airbag made off
22:51Okay
22:52It became clear this was a nasty accident
22:55The vehicle collided with a concrete pillar
22:58Causing significant body damage to the vehicle
23:01The bonnet is intact
23:03The side wing driver's side
23:07Driver's side
23:08Yeah
23:09The wheel is pushed back into the body
23:12And then there's the damage of the back as well
23:15Erm, there is obviously a high possibility
23:18With the airbags employing
23:19With the wheel damage and the bodywork damage
23:22There is the possibility of a total loss, okay?
23:25Yeah, yeah
23:28The claim was worth £11,890
23:32That's quite a chunk to pay out
23:34And the car was ready to be checked over
23:37But interestingly, when the accident happened
23:41No 999 call was made
23:43Were there any emergency services or police reported?
23:47Erm, no, I called my friend who had a garage
23:50Okay
23:51He called someone and we removed the car
23:55What we'll probably arrange is for salvage to go and collect the car
24:01It was very convenient that the claimant knew a mechanic
24:04But when the car was retrieved from his garage
24:06There was a shock in store for direct light
24:11We recovered the vehicle
24:12A forensic engineer on site identified
24:16Erm, that the vehicle contained
24:19Significant amounts of mould and mildew
24:23Consistent to a vehicle that had been left in situ
24:26For a considerable period of time
24:28Under damp conditions
24:31This sounds very odd
24:32And it doesn't suggest the vehicle had been used on a regular basis
24:36But during the phone call
24:37The man insisted there were no issues with the car
24:40Were you aware of any pre-existing damage to the car?
24:44No, it was okay
24:46It was, you know, running
24:48It was running nicely
24:49There was nothing wrong with it
24:51Yeah, there's no damage in the car before this incident
24:53No, no
24:55The agent also identified
24:59Heavy corrosion on the brake discs
25:02Again, consistent to a vehicle
25:04Has not been driven
25:05And also, the rear tyres
25:08Were devoid of tread
25:09Rending them illegal
25:10Driving a car in this condition
25:13Is a criminal offence
25:14And it has insurance implications
25:18Direct Line passed on the case to the police
25:20They were able to identify that in fact
25:24Our vehicle had been involved in a further accident
25:29Some six weeks prior to the date he was reporting
25:33At the same location on the A40
25:35And that vehicle was in storage
25:38From the time of the accident six weeks prior
25:42What a bizarre coincidence
25:44An accident in exactly the same spot
25:48And the similarities didn't end there
25:50It was clear that the damage sustained by the Audi
25:56On the initial accident six weeks prior
25:58Was consistent in its entirety
26:02To the damage on the accident on the 13th November
26:05So the crash described by the claimant
26:08Appears to have happened six weeks earlier than he said
26:11Why was he lying?
26:13The vehicle was clearly unroadworthy
26:15At the time of the initial accident
26:18And therefore would not have received any payout
26:21In terms of insurance for the damage
26:24Those involved have colluded together
26:26To secure funds to replace that vehicle
26:30Now to succeed in this claim
26:32The car had to be roadworthy when it was crashed
26:36Even a magician would find that a challenge
26:39But our tricksters had a plan
26:40Enter our friendly mechanic
26:42Nine days before the Phantom prang
26:45He gave the car an MOT
26:48The vehicle failed
26:50Failed on a number of points
26:52A front tyre which was illegal
26:55Its brakes
26:57And a defective brake light
26:59The vehicle was later retested the same day
27:03And passed
27:06Not bad for a car which was crashed
27:08And abandoned a few weeks earlier
27:10But the MOT uncovered another revelation
27:13The failed certificate
27:15Had recorded mileage of 75,000 miles
27:21The pass certificate issued the same day
27:24Had recorded mileage of 53,000 miles
27:29That is a significant discrepancy
27:31Of 20,000 plus miles
27:33The catalogue of inconsistencies is growing
27:40Police enquiries revealed that there was clear collusion
27:44Between parties involved and the MOT test test
27:48With such clear evidence
27:50Charges were brought against the car driver
27:52And the claimant, the relative who called in
27:54As well as the mechanic
27:56And the case went to court
28:00They were subsequently convicted
28:03For all offences
28:05And received suspended prison sentences
28:07Our policy owner was acquitted of all charges
28:10The mechanic's favour
28:12Resulted in him getting a 12 week suspended sentence
28:15And court costs of 5,000 pounds
28:17Having also lost his licence as an MOT tester
28:20He may not be so helpful in the future
28:23Ill-conceived, ill-prepared
28:25And ill-executed
28:27Should serve as a start warning
28:29We have very robust validation processes in place
28:32To look after our genuine customers
28:42Our mobile phones are lifelines
28:45Giving us instant access to our banking, social lives and memories
28:49When a phone is lost or stolen, it's a massive inconvenience
28:54And thankfully, insurance is there to help
28:57But with high-end smartphones now costing us more fortune
29:00They've become a target for those looking to exploit their policies
29:03As this next case involving insurance demonstrates
29:07Those who chance their luck
29:08Often forget one crucial thing
29:10Every device leaves a digital trail
29:17This particular claimant said that they had lost their phone
29:21Whilst they were on holiday
29:22One evening they'd gone to a bar and left their jacket
29:25And the phone was inside
29:27How can I help you today?
29:29I lost my phone with the SIM card
29:31When did you realise your phone was missing?
29:34Four days
29:35Four days ago?
29:37Yes
29:38Because yesterday I came back here in London
29:41Okay
29:42So you lost it on the 22nd of March?
29:46Yes
29:46Okay
29:47When was the last time you used the phone?
29:50Friday
29:52I call one friend
29:55To call a friend?
29:57Yes
29:58Where do you normally keep the phone when you're not using it?
30:01Jacket, okay
30:03Okay
30:04I leave my jacket down
30:06You left your jacket in a bar?
30:08Yes
30:09Okay
30:11But as the information given by the claimant was verified with the phone company
30:16It became clear that this loss was not so straightforward
30:20We managed to obtain information from the network themselves
30:24The usage of the phone and the SIM
30:27Which didn't tie into the information provided by this claimant
30:31I was checking your usage
30:33And it says the last time you used that SIM card in that phone
30:38Was on the 9th of March
30:40But tell me the date again
30:43The 9th of March
30:45Yeah, because I'm using just the internet
30:49Not the number
30:50Because I was in Romania
30:52I don't use the roaming
30:56Fair enough
30:58When we're abroad, many of us use the Wi-Fi to avoid roaming charges
31:02The claimant's story is plausible
31:04And when he came back to the UK
31:06He did what most of us would do
31:08And got a replacement SIM card from his mobile phone provider
31:12But what happened next was odd to say the least
31:16Yeah
31:17He said that you've lost your mobile phone
31:19Because you've left your jacket in the club
31:21Yeah
31:21You've come back to the UK on the 25th of March
31:24And then you've told us that your phone was missing on the 26th of March
31:28And that's the same day that you got your replacement SIM card
31:31Yeah
31:32What I've done is I've tracked your phone
31:34And I can actually see that your replacement SIM card went back into the same phone
31:38Hang on, isn't this the phone that was reported missing?
31:42Oh, I don't know
31:44Tell me again, please
31:45Your replacement SIM card has gone back into your lost phone
31:50Yes, I lost the phone
31:52Okay, so how has your SIM card gone back into the lost phone?
31:57No, I was in the shop
31:58Yeah?
31:59And give me the new SIM card
32:01Yep
32:03So what did you do with that SIM card? What phone have you put that into?
32:09I take just the SIM and now I'm waiting for the phone
32:13From checking the records
32:15It was clear the phone that was supposed to be missing was actually being used
32:19The claimant was struggling to explain these facts or provide us with a reason
32:25Why he claimed something fraudulently on the call
32:29The claimant is giving no clear answers
32:32He's pleading ignorance, but things are about to get worse
32:35That lost SIM card is back too
32:38The lost phone, have you found it?
32:40No, no, no
32:41Okay, so when I've tracked your phone
32:45That SIM card, the number that you lost with the phone
32:48Yeah?
32:49Goes back into the phone on the 27th of March
32:51At quarter past nine in the morning
32:53And has been active in that phone until the 16th of April
32:57So how is it that that SIM card has gone into that phone when it was lost in Romania?
33:03No, I don't know
33:04I don't know
33:06Well, unfortunately, I can't look into accepting that I don't know as an answer
33:11Because based on the information we've got
33:13It's my belief that the phone's not been lost in the instant in which you've told us that it has
33:18been
33:20I don't know
33:21I don't know
33:22Because I don't understand what you tell me, okay
33:24But I have a question
33:25You send me a new phone and you don't tell me
33:27Because I don't understand
33:29Can I have one mouth?
33:30I'm not sending a phone
33:32Ah, you don't tell me, no?
33:34No, and I will be counselling all insurance policies on your accounts and media accounts as well
33:38Okay
33:39This is hardly a surprising response given the holes in the claimant's story and the fact he'd given misleading information
33:47But this was far from being an open and shut case
33:50We've established he has a brazen attitude and he was determined to tough this one out
33:56The claimant then asked us to review the original decision and reassess
34:02The outcome of that review was that we had irrefutable evidence that this customer had provided false and misleading information
34:11The claimant probably didn't quite see it like that, but realised he'd pushed his luck as far as he could
34:17We didn't hear from them again
34:20A recommendation would be, if you're an honest customer, just tell the truth
34:25The implications of not doing so are not just that the claim itself will be declined
34:31But also that you would be identified in other fraud databases and ultimately potentially serve imprisonment
34:45Fraudsters often go to startling lengths to cash in
34:48And while tactics vary across the pond, the principle of life insurance remains the same
34:54A valid claim means a payout
34:56But as this next case reveals, the pressure of debt can lead some to sink to truly shocking levels
35:02At around 2.45am on January the 14th in Gilbert, Arizona
35:07An emergency 911 call is received
35:10911, where's your emergency?
35:13Hello?
35:15Please help
35:16What's going on?
35:19Ma'am what's going on?
35:21This sounds like one lady in real trouble
35:23The operator calls her back
35:30Hello?
35:31Ma'am what's going on?
35:35How is he trying to hurt you?
35:39He was trying to strangle you?
35:41Does he have any weapons?
35:44What did he have?
35:48He had a hammer in his hand?
35:50He had a hammer in his hand?
35:51Where's the hammer?
35:52The hammer's in the bedroom
35:55The police hear a distraught woman and head straight to her home
36:00Marissa Duvoir had been married to Dale Harrell for 10 years
36:03She was the woman calling 911
36:06And in the police interviews that followed the call out, she painted a grim picture of their marriage
36:12The very first time Dale Harrell was a month and three days after our wedding
36:18He actually pinned me down on the couch and hit me three times
36:24And our next major fight he made the mistake of slamming me against a wall
36:33It sounds like a troubled relationship
36:36And when police arrived at their home on the night of the emergency calls
36:39They found a gruesome scene
36:41You're lying down, he's still got his hands on you, you wake up
36:45And you see a hammer going into Dale's head
36:49I didn't even comprehend it was a hammer when I first saw it
36:54When I first opened, I mean I don't know
36:58I know it was a hammer because after it was done
37:05I know what I took from him and put it down and was like, dude
37:09What police hearing this heart-rending tale didn't know
37:12Was that Marissa was a serial liar in debt
37:15She owed big time
37:17Two years before she called 911, she met an older man
37:21Through a so-called sugar daddy's website and began a relationship with him
37:26He believed Marissa was divorced and a single mother of three girls
37:30Who were struggling financially
37:33Over time, she borrowed more than $360,000 from him
37:38Telling him she could use an inheritance to pay him back
37:41This legacy was fabrication
37:44Marissa told her lover it was from her stepfather
37:46The truth was, he was still alive
37:50Marissa was being interviewed after her husband was found with head injuries at their home
37:55There was a life insurance policy on Dale's life
37:58And she owed money
37:59The police were gentle with her, but couldn't ignore the evidence at the scene
38:04Which didn't tie in with what Marissa was saying
38:07I can tell you unequivocally, without any doubt whatsoever
38:12What you're describing to us is not accurate, not even close
38:16And this is what is important, this is why I'm trying
38:18I'm coming here for your benefit
38:20I believe it's self-defense
38:22The self-defense clause is there for a reason
38:25It's because sometimes things happen and people react to them
38:28And it's in preservation of their life and it's justified
38:33Where that self-defense gets pushed off the shelf and is no longer looked at
38:37Is when people manipulate or change some of the facts of what happened
38:41Because they're worried or they're nervous about how it's going to look
38:45The best thing that can happen, if this is truly self-defense, is just to be straight up with us
38:51So, for what that's worth, think about that
38:54For all intents and purposes, it seems like you're a really good person
38:56You've got no criminal history
38:57You went through our Citizens Academy, you're trying to be a cop
39:00This isn't something that you want to mess with, does that make sense?
39:04Okay
39:05What forensics at the scene revealed is that Marissa had not been lying with Dale in the bed
39:10During the attack she alleged was by her lodger
39:13The blood on her clothing and the patterns around the room
39:17Indicated that she had been the one swinging the hammer
39:19In the interview suite, she had the opportunity to come clean
39:23So, what did you get out of it, from what he said to you?
39:36That the previous trauma and the previous abuse could cause me to lose it
39:42And in order to defend myself it would be okay
39:47But I don't believe that
39:50You don't believe what?
39:53I don't believe it
39:54I think it would be alright
39:58Eventually, a different story emerges
40:00I didn't mean to do it
40:03I just...
40:04He just...
40:10So, how many times do you think you've been...
40:17I don't know
40:18I didn't really think about it that way
40:26I really didn't put any effort into it
40:30I didn't do it, it just...
40:32You came out of the room and saw the hammer sitting there
40:35And grabbed it
40:37And walked over
40:40And you just hit him for every time that he abused you
40:45Or did what he did to you and hurt you
40:55Marissa DuVois was caught in a desperate web of her own making
40:59Under pressure to repay over $360,000 to an increasingly suspicious lover
41:06She saw husband Dale as a financial solution
41:09She had even approached an ex-boyfriend about hiring a hitman
41:13To stage a fatal robbery at a casino
41:15A plan he'd refused
41:18Dale survived that night
41:19But remained critically ill in intensive care
41:22The clock was ticking for Marissa
41:24And she was under immense pressure
41:26In a calculated move
41:28She'd taken out multiple life insurance policies
41:30On both Dale and herself
41:33Totalling over $1 million
41:36One of those policies was activated just 13 days before she attacked Dale
41:42To distance herself from the crime
41:44She exploited her lodger, Stanley Cook
41:47Who suffered from severe brain damage following a motorcycle crash
41:51Leaving him cognitively impaired and easily suggestible
41:54Marissa manipulated his confusion to provide a false alibi
41:58And when that failed
42:00She coerced him into beating her up to stage a fake assault
42:03Hoping the insurance payout would cover her mounting legal fees
42:07While Dale fought for his life in intensive care
42:10Marissa's focus remained on the money
42:13She realised that any payout intended for Dale's future medical care
42:17Would be blocked if she were found culpable
42:20So she ratcheted up her manipulation of Cook
42:23Despite having already confessed to the initial hammer attack herself
42:27She forced him to sign a letter taking full responsibility for Dale's murder
42:32The case broke when police found the confession letter
42:35And records of its revision on Marissa's lover's computer
42:39The evidence against Marissa was stacking up
42:41And even the witnesses she named to corroborate her history of abuse
42:45Failed to back up her story
42:47It became clear she'd been planning to kill Dale
42:50At trial, the web of manipulation was fully exposed
42:54Marissa Devoir was found guilty of first-degree premeditated murder
42:58The jury found that excessive cruelty had been used
43:02Making her eligible for the death penalty
43:04Though she escaped execution
43:06She was ultimately sentenced to life imprisonment
43:09For the death of Dale Harrell
43:12To check out more information on her
43:13Can I give to you?
43:26To be continued...
43:27To be continued...
43:30To be continued...
43:32To be continued...
43:33To be continued...
43:34To be continued...
43:37You
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