IFPA Awareness Campaign Launches More Messages on Workers' Compensation and Auto Fraud
October 5, 2009
[HARRISBURG, PA] – The Pennsylvania Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority (IFPA) today launched additional television messages as part of its ongoing campaign to educate Pennsylvanians about the seriousness of the crime and its potential consequences.
The campaign, first launched in June 2009, focuses on specific types of fraud and real-life situations where an unwary or unwise consumer could make a bad choice. The initial phase of the campaign addressed automotive and homeowner fraud. Now, the campaign is taking on another type of fraud very costly to Pennsylvanians – workers’ compensation fraud.
“Most PA employers and their employees are honest people,” said Ralph Burnham, IFPA’s Executive Director. “But those who choose to commit workers’ comp fraud create an economic impact that is felt by each and every one of us.”
Leading the campaign are 30-second television spots depicting real-life scenarios of people who are contemplating or involved in committing insurance fraud. Two new spots launch this week.
“Weekend Warrior,” which focuses on workers’ compensation fraud, features a conversation between a warehouse supervisor and an employee about another employee who was injured and won’t be able to work. When the employee unwittingly mentions hearing that his co-worker was injured playing basketball over the weekend, the supervisor and the worker both realize that the co-worker’s supposed injury on the loading dock is a lie.
In “Lost and Found,” which focuses on automotive fraud, a man reveals to his wife that he has “taken care of” the problem of how they will make payments on their new car by getting rid of the car and telling the police and their insurance company that the car has been stolen. The wife is horrified – and the phone call from police saying the “missing” car has been found promises to bear out her fears.
Both spots close by pointing out that what these people are doing is insurance fraud and that Pennsylvania is cracking down on those who commit it. The spot warns the viewer, “Know the risks. Know the penalties.”
The statewide campaign includes broadcast and billboard advertising, and a revamped Web site, www.helpstopfraud.org. The Web site offers brief, consumer-friendly information about the most common types of opportunistic insurance fraud, as well as downloadable information for the news media and in-depth resources. Visitors to the site can also watch and listen to the advertising campaign as new components are launched.
The television spots are airing in all of Pennsylvania’s media markets. Sixty-second radio spots echoing the same themes are also running in selected markets.
The IFPA was created in late 1994 by the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Act 166, the Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority Act, created the funding mechanism to arm law enforcement and prosecutors with the resources necessary to fight insurance fraud in the Commonwealth. Funds are collected by assessing insurance companies that write policies in the state. No taxpayer dollars are used.
Note to Media: The campaign TV and radio spots can be played by visiting www.helpstopfraud.org. Press kit materials are also available for download. Broadcast b-roll of the TV spots can be obtained via the contact at the top of this news release.
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Contact: ifpapr@helpstopfraud.org