Facebook and Social Networks Used To Catch Fraudsters

Bad actors continue to prey on the workers' compensation system and employers and carriers are paying the price for their fraudulent activity. New tools are being used to combat employee or claimant fraud including social networks such as Facebook.

But new data from the California Department of Insurance (CDI) show that claims administrators, suspicious employers, special investigators and others can aid in the fight by using social networks and smart interviewing techniques to uncover information that leads to prosecutions.  In 2011, the Department says good information helped catch and then convict 103 individuals for various fraudulent acts in and around the workers' comp system.

The dark lining to this silver cloud is that many more cases are still going undetected. And as the 2011 convictions indicate each act of fraud is not only costly to payers -- the overall impact of fraud exceeds $1 billion annually, according to CDI estimates.

California Court of Appeal Throws Out Red Light Camera Ticket

Red light cameras are coming under increasing legal fire in the Golden State. On Friday, California's second-highest court published a ruling that struck down red light camera evidence as insufficient to convict a motorist. On June 3, 2009, a camera belonging to the Australian firm Redflex Traffic Systems accused Annette Borzakian of entering the Beverly Hills intersection of Beverly Drive and Wilshire Boulevard 0.28 seconds after the light hand turned red.
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Fullerton Police Chief to Step Down

Police Chief Michael Sellers, who has faced public criticism in connection with the death of homeless man who was beaten in a confrontation with officers, will retire this month, according to a statement from the city of Fullerton. Sellers filed a workers’ compensation claim that will be settled.

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NFL Workers' Comp Fight Could Cost Hundreds of Millions

If the Super Bowl had been in California, every player on both teams possibly could file workers’ compensation claims in the state, even if they don’t play one snap, as 3,700 other players already have done.
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Woodland Man Guilty of Workers’ Compensation Fraud

A Woodland man who was observed acting, moving and appearing in a manner inconsistent with his claimed injuries was found guilty of workers’ compensation insurance fraud by a Yolo County Jury last week. The 45-year-old faces a maximum of eight years imprisonment and a fine of $150,000.

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Contractor Charged with Wage Theft, Workers’ Comp Fraud

A painting contractor on several San Francisco city and school projects is facing charges that she cheated employees out of more than $600,000 in wages. Frances Ann Doherty was charged Friday with wage theft, workers’ compensation insurance premium fraud and other violations, according to the San Francisco district attorney.
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NFL workers’ comp cases could rise to high court

The National Football League is battling its players’ association in at least four different courts over where players can file workers’ compensation claims. Players signed contracts binding them to file workers’ comp claims in a jurisdiction designated by the team, and then they chose to file claims in another jurisdiction that they found more favorable, California in most cases.
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