Consumer/Insurance Fraud
The 2008 CDAIA Conference will present a Consumer Fraud class which will focus on Insurance Fraud relating to the Wildfires of 2007 in San Diego.  The class presenters will be Insurance Fraud Division Chief Dave Lattuca, Deputy District Attorney Alan Kessler and District Attorney Investigator Phil Sowers.  All three were involved in Firestorm 2007 and the handling of post-fire fraud issues.  The below information provides a preview of the topics covered during the fraud session:

• A DVD will be shown covering Firestorm 2007 in San Diego County
• A DVD will be shown of an undercover arrest operation post Firestorm 2007
• Working with the community to prevent fire victims from being a victim a second time
  Two prong approach to help the public:
   1. Direct contact, door to door in critical fire damaged areas warning public about unlicensed contractors.  
  2. Conducting undercover sting operations and arresting unlicensed contractors.
• Examples of victims from the Firestorm 2003
• Prosecution and handling of unlicensed contractors
• Follow-up investigations in the community - doing sweeps
• Working with other Federal, State and local agencies
• News and Media coverage regarding post-fire investigations and fraud
• The need for community involvement to make your Fraud Task Force successful
• Logistics and managerial issues associated with multi-agency operations