so some dumbass was collecting workman's comp and his insurance company found him enjoying himself instead of suffering.
They've been doing this for years. Nothing new here, move along.

RexTalionis: Although, I'm not sure what exact bits of information they would be able to glean from it aside from the fact that I own old books, I've graduated law school, and that I enjoy Star Trek.

Claim denied.

RexTalionis: ... enjoy Star Trek.

That shame can haunt many people for years.

Unless his job was to drink beer while sitting on the beach I fail to see how that photo is relevant.

"Insurance fraud costs the insurance industry and consumers about $30 million each year," said Jeanne Salvatore of the IFI.

Wow. That's ten cents. For. Each. Person.

You're canceling my policy.......why???

Wellon Dowd: Unless his job was to drink beer while sitting on the beach I fail to see how that photo is relevant.

Because he was in the midst of a worker's comp claim and was due for surgery that the insurance company would pay for. So if John Q. is living it up at the beach, knocking down brews perhaps with the same arm he's going to have an operation on; they're going to have a problem with it.

/the article, read it.

Why do you feel the need to put your whole life online?

invisbob: so some dumbass was collecting workman's comp and his insurance company found him enjoying himself instead of suffering.
They've been doing this for years. Nothing new here, move along.

Hmmmm, I don't see how enjoying a beer at the beach with friends, is exactly a proof that you are scamming the insurance company.

Yep, hoisting a beer proves your shoulder isn't injured. If we're going to pay you workman's comp, we want you in a full body cast.

Something tells me the "$30 million a year" quote isn't quite right.

IKanHazaBukkit: Wellon Dowd: Unless his job was to drink beer while sitting on the beach I fail to see how that photo is relevant.

Because he was in the midst of a worker's comp claim and was due for surgery that the insurance company would pay for. So if John Q. is living it up at the beach, knocking down brews perhaps with the same arm he's going to have an operation on; they're going to have a problem with it.

/the article, read it.

So you really think that using his arm to consume a beverage is enough evidence to decide he is engaged in fraud?

Someone's surprised that the "private" things they put up on the internet aren't actually private and it comes back to bite them in the ass?

Ya don't say... what year is this again? Why do I get the feeling that these are the same people sending money to the Nigerian prince?

Minimally Hairy Beer-Powered Simian: Why do you feel the need to put your whole life online?

It's the TV generation...everyone's a star! Everyone's gotta see their name up in lights! Look at meeeeeeeeeeeee!

padraig: invisbob: so some dumbass was collecting workman's comp and his insurance company found him enjoying himself instead of suffering.
They've been doing this for years. Nothing new here, move along.

Hmmmm, I don't see how enjoying a beer at the beach with friends, is exactly a proof that you are scamming the insurance company.

Depends on what his claim was. If he was claiming he was bed ridden, unable to leave the house, can't move, etc, and he's on the beach (and nevermind any mention of physical activities), that can be used against him.

IKanHazaBukkit: Wellon Dowd: Unless his job was to drink beer while sitting on the beach I fail to see how that photo is relevant.

Because he was in the midst of a worker's comp claim and was due for surgery that the insurance company would pay for. So if John Q. is living it up at the beach, knocking down brews perhaps with the same arm he's going to have an operation on; they're going to have a problem with it.

/the article, read it.

Do you count the strawmen you create as dependants?

Minimally Hairy Beer-Powered Simian: Why do you feel the need to put your whole life online?

LOOK AT ME!

Heh. Every time I see the anchor on the left (in the linked video), I'm reminded of a certain meme.

This is KABC, yes? I think it's our suspect.

HotWingConspiracy: IKanHazaBukkit: Wellon Dowd: Unless his job was to drink beer while sitting on the beach I fail to see how that photo is relevant.

Because he was in the midst of a worker's comp claim and was due for surgery that the insurance company would pay for. So if John Q. is living it up at the beach, knocking down brews perhaps with the same arm he's going to have an operation on; they're going to have a problem with it.

/the article, read it.

So you really think that using his arm to consume a beverage is enough evidence to decide he is engaged in fraud?

Doesn't really matter since, while they denied the claim initially, the attorney fought it and he had his surgery and it was covered. It makes sense that the insurance company is taking those steps to protect the bottom line. The article goes on to talk to a private investigator who has found more insane instances of insurance fraud and people posting it online.

henryhill: IKanHazaBukkit: Wellon Dowd: Unless his job was to drink beer while sitting on the beach I fail to see how that photo is relevant.

Because he was in the midst of a worker's comp claim and was due for surgery that the insurance company would pay for. So if John Q. is living it up at the beach, knocking down brews perhaps with the same arm he's going to have an operation on; they're going to have a problem with it.

/the article, read it.

Do you count the strawmen you create as dependants?

No, but I do douse them in gasoline, set them on fire, and then post the pictures to Facebook...

canyoneer: Minimally Hairy Beer-Powered Simian: Why do you feel the need to put your whole life online?

It's the TV generation...everyone's a star! Everyone's gotta see their name up in lights! Look at meeeeeeeeeeeee!

SuperTramp: Minimally Hairy Beer-Powered Simian
Why do you feel the need to put your whole life online?

It's an epidemic of narcissism. (new window)

I'm so glad that

1. I have absolutely no need to broadcast the crappy doings of my daily life.
2. I do not, and never will have, a Facebook account
3. I have no life outside of Fark. Hooray?

CheekyMonkey: henryhill: IKanHazaBukkit: Wellon Dowd:
No, but I do douse them in gasoline, set them on fire, and then post the pictures to Facebook...


Claim Denied.

IKanHazaBukkit: Wellon Dowd: Unless his job was to drink beer while sitting on the beach I fail to see how that photo is relevant.

Because he was in the midst of a worker's comp claim and was due for surgery that the insurance company would pay for. So if John Q. is living it up at the beach, knocking down brews perhaps with the same arm he's going to have an operation on; they're going to have a problem with it.

/the article, read it.

"they're going to have a problem be dicks with it."

If you can afford a lawyer, as this fellow could, you can prove the insurance company is scamming their customers as much as possible and win in court.

That's what your premiums buy. Not health. It buys a mountain of lawyers who fight you for your legit claims. It buys you a building of claims adjusters who's sole purpose is yo deny, deny, deny all your claims.
Then YOU have to prove that the insurance company is fraudulent, on your time, and minimum reserve of funds, with lawyers who don't usually do this type of work 365 days a year.

As a former Private eye who did insurance fraud....

All I can say is people are pretty stupid. The one lady at Sams throwing in cases of beer with her "bum" left arm. Or the guy parking his car around the block behind where my buddy and I had setup trying to do counter surveillance on us. Or having to pee in a plastic bottle on a hot summer day.

Good times indeed.

Insurance companies have been investigating claimants since there have been insurance companies. Social media just makes it easier - big deal.

Back when I worked at RadioShack, I had a guy bring in a dummy pager with a tiny camera concealed in it (this was in 1998, well before tiny cameras were included in just about everything.) He was investigating a local man who was out of work due to an injury, and had managed to catch him chopping wood on his property, except that the camera didn't work. I repaired a loose connection and he went out to try again, but he was pissed that he'd missed such an obvious claim breaker.

IKanHazaBukkit: HotWingConspiracy: IKanHazaBukkit: Wellon Dowd: Unless his job was to drink beer while sitting on the beach I fail to see how that photo is relevant.

Because he was in the midst of a worker's comp claim and was due for surgery that the insurance company would pay for. So if John Q. is living it up at the beach, knocking down brews perhaps with the same arm he's going to have an operation on; they're going to have a problem with it.

/the article, read it.

So you really think that using his arm to consume a beverage is enough evidence to decide he is engaged in fraud?

Doesn't really matter since, while they denied the claim initially, the attorney fought it and he had his surgery and it was covered.

I'm sure it matters to him, he had to postpone surgery and hire a lawyer.

It makes sense that the insurance company is taking those steps to protect the bottom line. The article goes on to talk to a private investigator who has found more insane instances of insurance fraud and people posting it online.

Well yes, if it's egregious look in to it. Drinking a beer wouldn't qualify.

Pootums: IKanHazaBukkit: Wellon Dowd: Unless his job was to drink beer while sitting on the beach I fail to see how that photo is relevant.

Because he was in the midst of a worker's comp claim and was due for surgery that the insurance company would pay for. So if John Q. is living it up at the beach, knocking down brews perhaps with the same arm he's going to have an operation on; they're going to have a problem with it.

/the article, read it.

"they're going to have a problem be dicks with it."

If you can afford a lawyer, as this fellow could, you can prove the insurance company is scamming their customers as much as possible and win in court.

That's what your premiums buy. Not health. It buys a mountain of lawyers who fight you for your legit claims. It buys you a building of claims adjusters who's sole purpose is yo deny, deny, deny all your claims.
Then YOU have to prove that the insurance company is fraudulent, on your time, and minimum reserve of funds, with lawyers who don't usually do this type of work 365 days a year.

Tax payer dollars pay for investigators to sit around an office all day, surf the web and if i could immediately dismiss claims by looking at facebook. That'd be awesome.

Fark. So that's why my additional dental plan went up two bucks this month.
Probably shouldn't have been all that honest about my dental hygiene on that OKCupid test.

/although two bucks for a Rarely/Never answer isn't too steep.

Wait wait wait wait.... wait.... wait. You mean to tell me that if I put pictures of myself on a publicly accessible website using my real name.... people can find them?! How can this happen?!

The My Little Pony Killer: Every day, more and more reasons to be glad I don't have a Facebook.

For sure there are some people who are better off not having a Facebook account. Like the ones who post all day long about every tiny little thing they do. Or the ones who can't manage privacy settings. Or those who can't figure out that some things just aren't meant to be heard or viewed by other people, even your closest friends.

Kudos to you for recognizing this and making the world a slightly better place.

I thought subby was just joking with the Ric Romero meme but I clicked on TFA and, hot damn, it actually is him! I'm surprised that he's still working at the same job at the same news station. You'd think that the guy could've milked his internet celebrity for some higher career opportunities by now.

The My Little Pony Killer: Every day, more and more reasons to be glad I don't have a Facebook.

Agreed. I saw this coming when Facebook and Myspace et al were first introduced. I cannot believe that people will put themselves at risk by publishing their private lives on a social networking site. Everyone is using them to glean information about people. We've had a few job candidates that seemed qualified, but we perform background checks and social network site scans for potential hires, and these were eliminated because of the stupid crap on their Facebook page that indicated that they'd be a risky employee or have really bad judgement. One woman applied for a job in which she would have a lot of interaction with our customers. She had great client service credentials, but also a pic of her slugging a beer and showing her tits on Facebook. Stupid, stupid. Pass.

I can't imagine how desperate for attention you must be to have a public facebook profile or anything else for that matter.

IKanHazaBukkit: Wellon Dowd: Unless his job was to drink beer while sitting on the beach I fail to see how that photo is relevant.

Because he was in the midst of a worker's comp claim and was due for surgery that the insurance company would pay for. So if John Q. is living it up at the beach, knocking down brews perhaps with the same arm he's going to have an operation on; they're going to have a problem with it.

/the article, read it.

Read it. Sitting on a beach holding a beer doesn't prove you're faking an injury.

theknuckler_33: I can't imagine how desperate for attention you must be to have a public facebook profile or anything else for that matter.

I think most of the cases you see in the news are internet-illiterate people who simply register a Facebook account and are then too dumb/clueless to change the default settings from public to private. It's just stupidity, not intentional attention-whoring.

There is nothing wrong with Facebook and it should not be blamed for its users gross stupidity.

Publicly stating that one is cheating the insurance company is pretty damn stupid. So is making clear in public that you can't be possibly injured. While it does make it even easier on the insurance company if you post it online, that sort of behavior that would have betrayed you anyways. That they check the Facebook pages meant they probably already suspected. If that did not work then they would have just put a P.I. on them for a day or two because the cost of that P.I. is probably trivial next the the cost of the claim.

/And having fraud on the record might cost the claimant even more than what they would cheated the insurance company for. These day even part-time minimum-wage employees often have background checks done on them before hiring. And banks, etc. will also see it. And then there are fines, jail time, lawyers' costs, etc.

So if you're committing insurance fraud, scratch the facebook account, check.

The Yattering: Insurance companies have been investigating claimants since there have been insurance companies. Social media just makes it easier - big deal.

I worked as a PI for a couple of years, and did some insurance work. My favorite catch was a guy claiming a back injury, carrying a queen size mattress by himself, down 3 flights of stairs. In my experience 3 out of 5 people I was asked to investigate were cheating.

"But his friends weren't the only ones checking out his Facebook status."

Well, that isn't in any way a dirty lie, now is it? I'm pretty sure the only party interested in your minute-to-minute status updates on Facebook IS your Insurance company, actually.

Congratulations, someone thinks you're important. Maybe they'll even friend you?

the_vegetarian_cannibal: theknuckler_33: I can't imagine how desperate for attention you must be to have a public facebook profile or anything else for that matter.

I think most of the cases you see in the news are internet-illiterate people who simply register a Facebook account and are then too dumb/clueless to change the default settings from public to private. It's just stupidity, not intentional attention-whoring.

It's been a long time since I set up my facebook profile, but I thought that question was pretty prominent in the process. I don't think "public" is the default and it is some option burried under preferences or something like that. You have to specifically answer a question where you choose the option that is NOT "Only let me FB friends see updates" or whatever it says. I don't doubt that internet illiteracy has a role to play, but I don't think you can set up a public facebook profile by accident or default.

Yeah, facebook scanning? Not as bad as what Progressive Insurance wants to do, place a tracker in your car and monitor your driving habits.

They will see where you drive and figure out the speed limit for those roads, and raise your rates if you speed.

Did I mention they will know EVERYWHERE YOU TAKE YOUR CAR?

I don't know how drinking beer at a beach proves that he's faking. Would they prefer him drinking water in his house? It's the same action. That being said, I also don't understand why that helicopter woman was a major scam. Maybe it was a problem with her legs, or nerve damage or something. As far as I know, piloting a helicopter is the same movements as driving a car or playing on the computer. Plus, who honestly buys their own helicopter lessons? Imagine the guilt if you gave it as a gift to get their spirits up, then their claims are closed because of you.

I sliced my leg up pretty badly during the summer- a 6 inch gash on my calf. It was from faulty craftsmanship and being told to do things not in my job description. I took an hour off and was told to get back to work or I'd be fired, so I wrapped my leg in tape and went at it. Although the office told me specifically not to file any paperwork on it, I did and it was workers comp that really had my back. The office wanted to fire me for missing work for being at the hospital the next few days, but they couldn't make a case for it. I got my time covered and the insurance agency kept mailing me additional claim forms in case I bought painkillers or the like. For me it was really the company that was the problem. I'm sure if they could have gotten the insurance agency to say that as long as I can walk without crutches, I shouldn't get a dime, then they would have.

hailin: And I agree, sitting on the beach with a beer only indicates you are resting on the beach. Would they deny the claim if he was at home on the couch with a beer? It is the same thing only the scenery is different.

Especially if he lives near the beach, now if he was lifting weights on the beach then maybe.

I don't believe changing your privacy settings will make one bit of difference. What's to stop that zuckerberg guy from selling your private data to the insurance company? Nothing. He owns the information. He can sell it to anybody he wants. I'm sure the insurance companies are willing to offer big money for a peek at the private accounts, and I'm also sure zuckerberg has no qualms about taking the money.

That includes all the pictures and information you deleted. Zuckerberg owns that stuff too. He hangs on to it. He'll sell it to anybody who wants it.

Why would anybody give such an amoral creep like that so much power over their lives?