On May 28, 2019, three individuals—part of a larger group of conspirators—were convicted of defrauding numerous New York City businesses and insurance companies of more than $31 million by orchestrating hundreds of phony "slip-and-fall" incidents. While this case is certainly among the most egregious and lucrative in recent memory, there are many more of these incidents occurring across the nation in small mom-and-pop businesses where their impact is much more immediate and devastating. Video – See slip and fall fraud caught on camera. Watch the video, and find out how NICB and Liberty Mutual Insurance worked together to prevent the fraudulent claim from being paid, and get the criminal prosecuted. https://youtu.be/u8WolTMahLQ Infographic For example, most business owners are aware of the need for liability insurance and most have coverage to protect them from legitimate incidents that occur on their property. But often they have very high deductibles and a single incident can erode a small business's profit for a month or more. In some cases, it may make the difference between remaining in business or closing their doors. Fraudsters know this and they will often prey on small business operators within their communities and bogus slip-and-fall incidents are a quick source of cash with little risk of apprehension. A typical scenario goes like this: a small shopkeeper is alone at work when a customer arrives and roams the aisles looking at merchandise. After a time, the customer starts calling out for help. The shopkeeper responds to find the person on the floor, moaning and groaning from an injury he claims was caused when he slipped on something on the floor. Now the stage is set for one of two possibilities. The victim might then and there demand an amount to "forget the whole thing" and disappear, or ask if the shopkeeper is insured suggesting that the incident isn't going away anytime soon.
Read Full Press Release