Yet another scam. This time from State Farm insurance right in my neighborhood

[Maraya1969]

I have had State Farm all my life for my car. I asked them for a quote for my house because the insurance prices have skyrocketed here.

I went down to the office and the Manager came out and told me "You hit that pipe over there yesterday" It was a water pipe sticking out of the ground in a square. About 15 inches high.

So I got right in my car and pulled next to the pipe. There is no way in hell that my car hit that pipe because my car was not damaged at all and the pipe was taller than the undercarriage of my car. I was really mad and told him that it could not possibly be my car. (I have shown the pictures to several people and every agreed that my car could not have possibly hit that pipe since there were no dents or scratches where it would have hit.

I just found out that they sent in the claim anyway and, my car insurance paid for this guy's fucking water pipe. I called the claims department and the guy just dismissed me repeatedly. He told me they "investigate" the claims and that this particular claim was OK'd because it had "objective" evidence. What evidence? An eye witness! And the eyewitness was the manager of the State Farm office who ran out to tell me that I hit his damn pipe. Oh, and he said there were pictures - not of my car but of the pipe laying down on the ground.

And for that they got their pipe fixed.

I even went to the police station but the one I spoke to said it was not a criminal matter and that I should contact their corporate office instead. Then someone told me it was insurance fraud.

If anyone knows any specific way they think I should handle this please let me know.

[MiniMe]

1. My bet is HIS car has a scrape at the height of that pipe

He is smart enough to not get charged with that "accident" and his rates won't go up. Unfortunately, yours probably will.

[Maraya1969]

6. You know what? I had not thought of that. It was probably in the shop getting repaired as

he was accusing me to doing the damage that he did.

[Ms. Toad]

2. Contact your state insurance department

They oversee insurance in the state, and ought to be able to take a complaint.

[wnylib]

3. If you can't get legal recourse, then shame them.

I'd cancel the insurance with them first, and go elsewhere for coverage.

Then post pictures of your car and describe the incident on social media. Ask if this is what a "good neighbor"
does.

Also, contact local media, or even a national media person - the kind that looks into and reports on disputes between individuals and businesses.

[Maraya1969]

4. I am really thinking about posting on FB and on Google review and maybe Yelp of wherever

That is a great line though about the "Good neighbor"

[wnylib]

9. Go for it. And feel free to use the good neighbor comment.

I had an incident once involving an accusation of driving my very low carriage car over a curb when turning a corner. The accusers were two cops.

I went to a tavern one evening because they were having a contest of local bands that I wanted to see and hear. I had a vodka drink soon after arriving, then a cheeseburger and fries. Stuck with Coke after that because I'd be driving home alone. I was there about 6 hours.

On my way home, two patrol cops stopped me and said that I had been driving erratically and went over a curb when I turned. This was long ago and my car was a used Plymouth Fury which was so low that I'd have ripped out the exhaust system if I'd gone over a curb.

I politely pointed that out to them, mindful of the fact that it was very late, I was alone, and there were two of them. With no witnesses, they could have made up any story. In fact, they did. They said that my car reeked of beer and chuckled that people always say they only had one.

I told them that I am allergic to the hops in beer so I never drink it. Since no one else was in my car, I could not understand where a beer odor would come from.

So they made me get out of the car and do a sobriety test - walking heel to toe in a straight line, etc. I aced it and bit back the temptation to offer to do cartwheels. Finally one cop told the other to let it go, which he did, but was obviously pissed off. They had seen me leave a tavern and get into my car so they assumed that they had an easy bust.

I did not file any complaint because I feared being targeted in the future if I did.

[Maraya1969]

20. I've seen videos of cops doing this sort of thing

Good you fought back

[wnylib]

22. It was just good luck on my part that they chose to

accuse me of having so many beers that my car smelled if it, since I'm allergic to beer. It was an obviously provable lie. I could have got records from my allergist to back me up.

They could not conceive of someone spending an entire evening around alcohol without having several drinks. But I had friends there, knew some of the people in the bands, and was there for the music, not the drinks.

They were really pissed off that they could not make any charges stick, but I was totally sober.

[stopdiggin]

5. sure - get ahold of your DA's office.

Chances are somebody in that office deals with consumer affairs or fraud.

(The problem here might be that - with the company voluntarily paying the claim - you might not be considered an 'injured party'. And therefor the fraud is not committed against you per se.)

The other thing you could do is go back and take a bunch of pictures of your car - position and height of pipe, etc. - and submit them to the corporate office, along with an account of the fraudulent claim submitted by their employee, and the fact that you have also contacted the DA, the police, and the BBB. Might not reverse the claim - but it could build a little bit of a fire under the on site manager.

[Maraya1969]

8. I did move my car right next to the pipe and took a bunch of pictures.

And I told the claims department today that I did that and he mentioned something about the "dates" implying that I had already gotten the car fixed! I told him that all my pictures were dated from my phone. I swear these people are in cahoots. Why would he go to so much trouble trying to explain why the claim was legit even though he is at a call center? Is this a recurring scam with them?

I also thought that there might be a recording of the incident because it was pretty much right in front of the office. I'm sure I couldn't get a copy because they probably have erased it but someone in authority could perhaps

[rubbersole]

7. Good luck M '69...

...you'll be fortunate to find anyone other than you that will care. "The cops don't need you, and man they expect the same." - Bob Dylan

[msongs]

10. did your rate go way up? nt

[Maraya1969]

21. I think so. I have to check my bank because I am terrible

About keeping records and being organized

[Frasier Balzov]

11. And the only way he knew who your insurance company is

Is because he is your State Farm agent?

I'd say he abused access to confidential information.

AND He could NOT have won a judgment in court on the evidence he had, which was zilch.

You have been denied due process. That is a civil rights violation.

[marybourg]

12. Just don't cancel your insurance

before you have it replaced.

[MOMFUDSKI]

13. Met a guy here in Milwaukee who

lives in North Port Florida. Last year’s hurricane Ian lifted his roof up and then back down. State Farm sent an inspector out who pronounced his roof just fine and refused to replace it. He is now in litigation with State Farm for the cost. So he had to pay to replace his roof and now he has attorney fees on top of that. They are paying our politicians for their privileges

[Maraya1969]

14. Thank you. State Farm is corrupt.

[Goodheart]

15. I feel for you, but that's not a scam.

[sarisataka]

16. Correct, not a scam

It is a fraudulent claim

[sarisataka]

17. Report it as a fraudulent claim

The only evidence is the word of the person who benefited from the claim

[sinkingfeeling]

18. SF's headquarters is in Bloomington, IL Here's their address and customer complaint number:

Comments or questions
Phone line
800-STATE-FARM (800-782-8332)

1 State Farm Plaza, Bloomington, IL 61710

[Maraya1969]

19. Thank you for this information!

[flvegan]

23. This State Farm office, has it got external security cameras? Any other tenants on this commercial property?

Might they have security cameras?

Lastly, I implore you and anybody that reads this, please...please invest in a dashcam. They're cheap, mount easily, set it and forget it. Have your own witness, video proof that is more convincing to any cop or jury than some idiot in a red polo saying "you hit my pipe"

Good luck with this, sorry you're going through this.