Question! Involves Employee Committing Fraud!

[caz28]

Question for everyone. When calling for a quote an insurance company employee takes our info and performs fraud (setup a huge fake policy for the commission in my girls name, and they did it about 4 months after we initially talked to them, we ended up going with geico and had them throughout this whole time.). This same employee took all our info SS# etc. I'm sure we can't be held liable for the $800 they are trying to collect. BUT what should we do about them doing this to us? I mean some nutso that forged all this paper work (with fake signatures!) took down her personal info SS# etc.

We contacted farmers, contacted the local agent whom we never actually even talked too before this. I was skeptical so went straight to corporate and there currently investigating it. Forgery is a felony in my state. And someone that forged the documents has all my fiances information(identity theft?). Should we lawyer up? Who else can we contact to complain about this? I have a huge 1200 word email that tells the history of this problem but I'm trying to keep it short.

Thanks for reading, we really have no clue what to do but feel very distraught over this whole incident.

 

[xrac]

Talk to your State Department of Insurance. They should be interested in this. Chances are you are not the only one this has happened to.

 

[caz28]

Thanks xrac googling for the info now.

 

[Guest]

I would think the agency involved (and Farmers) would be more than happy to also pursue this as I am sure they wouldn't want the bad publicity. The DOI's fraud unit will be in touch with Farmers, and that agency I am sure.

 

[Norwayguy]

Somebody is going to lose thier license if this is true. As you stated forgery is a crime, and the type of crime the DOI is not going to look the other way on.

 

[VolAgent]

Time to contact the DOI and/or the State's Attorney Office.

 

[1manshow]

Assuming this is car insurance I'm not sure I'd get too excited yet. Could be as simple as a CSR hitting the "issue" button on a quote and mistakenly issuing a policy. Not sure I'd send someone to prison for that...depends on the situation. Most of us here would probably catch something like that and get a binder cancel or backdate a cancellation. It could have been overlooked. The SS# is something we all gather for accurate quotes so I wouldn't belabor that point either, I doubt your finances are in grave danger.

What is it that you've lost? damages that you've suffered? If you have damages you deserve to be compensated. if it's the inconvience of getting the $800 bill taken care of, the lost time, the loss of consortium whatever. I don't see a problem asking the insurance department to represent you in resolving the issue, but the "issue" needs to be identified before it can be resolved.

 

[Guest]

provide Farmers with a dec page that you had current insurance and they will flat cancel the policy.

Could be a simple mistake, they dont make that much off the policy to be committing fraud....

 

[caz28]

From what I posted I would agree with you 100 percent. I just gave you guys the short version. Let me edit this email and try to shorten it give me a few mins (and you guys/gals can be the judge). Again thanks for the replies!

Assuming this is car insurance I'm not sure I'd get too excited yet. Could be as simple as a CSR hitting the "issue" button on a quote and mistakenly issuing a policy. Not sure I'd send someone to prison for that...depends on the situation. Most of us here would probably catch something like that and get a binder cancel or backdate a cancellation. It could have been overlooked. The SS# is something we all gather for accurate quotes so I wouldn't belabor that point either, I doubt your finances are in grave danger.

What is it that you've lost? damages that you've suffered? If you have damages you deserve to be compensated. if it's the inconvience of getting the $800 bill taken care of, the lost time, the loss of consortium whatever. I don't see a problem asking the insurance department to represent you in resolving the issue, but the "issue" needs to be identified before it can be resolved.

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EMAIL EXCERPT:

Hello Melissa,
Here is the information you requested.
Please excuse my grammar, the following was written hastily and honestly I have never been good at writing...

About the signatures, From top to bottom. The first is how she signed her state issued drivers license. The second is how she signed copy of a vehicle title. The third is a quick example signature I had her give me for reference.
We could not get a hold of her mother today, but was able to speak with her farther. He says they have state farm. They may have farmers for insurance on there house(s) he can't remember off hand. He also did not recognize the name "Josh Brown".

History:

Late 2010: We were referred to "Gina" (an employee of Agent Charles B. Elsten) in late 2010 by a mutual friend. We gave her (my girlfriends name) Information. We gave Gina the following information:(my girlfriends)full name (my girlfriend name), Her social security number, drivers license number, Honda accord information, our home address. We made tentative plans on meeting up and paying for the full year IN CASH, at NO TIME was ANY Billing information, bank account information etc exchanged, My girlfriend (my girlfriend name) does not even have a banking account, we have NEVER met GINA in person OR Charles B. Elsten, we have never been to there office, we have never signed any sort of paper work in person nor electronically to do with any policie(s) from Farmers Insurance. We simply just asked for a quote from Gina over the phone and instead ended up going to Geico.

Fast Forward 3+ months later:

We started to receive bills in my girlfriends name, keep in mind we have not had ANY contact with Gina since we talked to her initially about the quote in 2010, which I referenced above. We also never even talked to Charles B. Elsten up into this point. Initially I tried getting in contact with "Gina" leaving her messages (she did not return my calls, and numerous messages). I then left a detailed message for Charles. He called me back in a timely manner, but I missed the call. I contacted my girlfriends farther and mother and they knew nothing of this policy. Another statement came and it looked to me as the charge had been reversed. I then called and left Charles another message. He returned my call but I was away working, about the same time we received a cancellation notice. I figured everything was fine he took care of it. I did believe something funny was going on but figured I would leave it be as the problem seem to be resolved.

7/28/21

(my girlfriend name) received a collection notice in the mail saying she owes $722.38!?


Melissa these are my concerns:

We did not setup this account. (my girlfriend name) and I both know this, you may not, but I hope the truth will soon be uncovered. From speaking to her parents it does not sound like they had any part in this account creation either. The only authorized drivers that her parents WOULD and DO have on there policy are (Farthers mexican name), and (my girlfriends mom which shares the same name but different middle initials) . When you mentioned "Josh Brown" That was a HUGE flag, Me, (my girlfriend name), her farther don't even know a "Josh Brown" (couldn't get in contact with (my girls mother) at the time of writing this email to question her about a Josh Brown but I'm VERY confident she doesn't know a "Josh Brown". (They are a Hispanic family with almost all there friends and family of Hispanic descent. Brown is not a common Mexican name as you can imagine...)
-------------------------------------------------------------
end of email

Ok heres the rest of the information you guys don't know but they do so I didnt include it in email.

1.My girlfriend and her mother share the same name but different middle names.
2. Her mother has home insurance through farmers. ONLY HOME, there vehicles are insured through a separate company and have been since long before this fiasco.
3. Heres where it gets tricky. Everything was switched over to our address with her vehicle and only SOME of her parents vehicles and our home renters insurance. With a agent they never heard of...
4. ok you still following me? I talked to the customer service agent further and they assured me they had the paper work and said that we signed it (my girlfriends name). They also said there was an added authorized driver on the policy. A JOSH BROWN... The only authorized driver on her parents policy is her husband (and they dont have there vehicle insurance through farmers). They have no clue who josh brown is. We would not add josh brown either.
5. Her parents no nothing about going into farmers and signing paper work at the date the customer service agent claimed we did. We did not go in and sign paper work... who signed either her moms or my girlfriends name, with authorizing josh brown as a driver? How did payment account info get added (her moms)? Why is it getting sent to our address?..
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Oh and all this was brought to our attention by the threatening collection notice we got in the mail... so yeah I guess credit is at stake.

Assuming this is car insurance I'm not sure I'd get too excited yet. Could be as simple as a CSR hitting the "issue" button on a quote and mistakenly issuing a policy. Not sure I'd send someone to prison for that...depends on the situation. Most of us here would probably catch something like that and get a binder cancel or backdate a cancellation. It could have been overlooked. The SS# is something we all gather for accurate quotes so I wouldn't belabor that point either, I doubt your finances are in grave danger.

What is it that you've lost? damages that you've suffered? If you have damages you deserve to be compensated. if it's the inconvience of getting the $800 bill taken care of, the lost time, the loss of consortium whatever. I don't see a problem asking the insurance department to represent you in resolving the issue, but the "issue" needs to be identified before it can be resolved.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

provide Farmers with a dec page that you had current insurance and they will flat cancel the policy.

Could be a simple mistake, they dont make that much off the policy to be committing fraud....

There is 3 vehicles on the policy that are not ours... I'm responsible for obtaining other peoples insurance information so we wont be held liable for something we never setup?.... We sent in a copy of her vehicles insurance showing it was insured during the dates of concern.
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I dont understand how her parents billing info (auto debit'd) and half there vehicles, plus renters insurance for us and one of our vehicles got added together as a policy signed on a date no one has a clue about with none of the usual authorized drivers and this mysterious fictional character JOSH BROWN added as authorized driver.... I questioned her mom pretty thoroughly after I initially talked to customer service and sent this email. She didnt go see this agent.. sooo where did the signature come from? LOL I sent them 3 copies for comparison one of a notarized title one from my girls arizona DL and one she gave as an example so they know without a doubt how she signs and can compare to the forgery. Anyways im sorry if im rambling I been up all nite with my 10 month year old and my 2 year old just awoke :-/ I'll keep you guys posted on the outcome and thanks for pointing me in the right direction!

provide Farmers with a dec page that you had current insurance and they will flat cancel the policy.

Could be a simple mistake, they dont make that much off the policy to be committing fraud....