Jail for woman who received thousands in payouts from fraudulent claims

A woman has been jailed for 22 months after her scam to defraud insurers was detected by RSA and Direct Line.

Emma Fisher from the West Midlands invented stories, including that she had lost a pregnancy, suffered from terminal cancer and was a victim of domestic violence, to make thousands of pounds from bogus claims.

Between August 2008 and July 2012, the 27-year-old received 11 payouts totalling £8,500, and was even moved into a specially adapted home to help her cope with a non-existent disability.

Fisher took out a majority of the policies online, using aliases to disguise her true identity, and tried to deceive insurers, banks and a housing association into acting on 22 fraudulent claims.

She impersonated professionals in positions of authority, such as doctors and police officers, and forged documentation in support of her claims. On one occasion, Fisher supplied a fake veterinary record to prop up a pet insurance claim for a dead Chihuahua.

Fisher’s scam was first discovered in January 2012 when she was given a police caution for eight fraud offences committed between January 2009 and October 2011. But she continued to offend.

The true extent of her offences emerged three months later following referrals to the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED) from Direct Line and RSA.

She was arrested at her home in Willenhall in July 2012 and subsequently pleaded guilty to 22 counts of fraud by false representation.

DC Alex Cooley, who led IFED’s investigation, said: “Fisher was a criminal out of control who, over a number of years, devoted herself to the pursuit of making fraudulent claims in a ongoing quest to feather her own nest at the expense of others.

“No tale was too tall, no personal hardship too extreme for her to fabricate, as she continued to offend, even after being brought to book back in 2012. Hopefully a period behind bars will finally make her realise that crime does not pay.”  

During the court case at Wolverhampton Crown Court, she asked the judge to take into consideration, when sentencing, 43 additional accounts of fraud relating to insurance matters that she had not been paid on.

The Crown Prosecution Service has said it will now take steps to recover the amount stolen.