Clarkston woman charged in theft of $42K in fraudulent car insurance claim

CLARKSTON, Mich. (FOX 2) - A 32-year-old woman from Clarkston was arraigned for auto insurance fraud after receiving over $42,000 from a false claim.

Brittany Brown reported in 2020 that her car was stolen and allegedly filed a false insurance claim with State Farm Insurance.

She is accused of falsely stating that there was no lien on her car and that she had installed wheelchair equipment on it, said the Attorney General's office. Brown is also accused of knowingly submitting a forged title to State Farm Insurance that concealed the lien.

"People who commit insurance fraud have a potential impact on all drivers in Michigan," said AG Dana Nessel. "My department is committed to pursuing these cases and holding accountable those who defraud the system."

Brown received over $42,000 from State Farm Insurance on this fraudulent insurance claim. The case was pursued, and the money was recovered by the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) Fraud Investigation Unit (FIU) in collaboration with the Department of Attorney General.

"Lying to an insurance company in order to receive more money for a claim than is warranted is a crime and can drive up insurance premiums for all Michiganders," said DIFS Director Anita Fox.

Brown was arraigned on three felonies:

One count of false pretenses $20,000 or more but less than $50,000, punishable by 15 years and/or $15,000
One count of license documents/plates-forgery, punishable by one to five years and/or $500-$5,000
One count of insurance-fraudulent acts, punishable by four years and/or $50,000.

A probable cause conference is scheduled for August 26 and a preliminary examination is scheduled for August 31.

Anyone suspecting insurance fraud can make a report to the DIFS FIU by calling (877)999-6442 or through their website by clicking here.

Crime and Public Safety Clarkston Oakland County