Millville,
Cumberland County - Vaughn L. McKoy, Director,
Division of Criminal Justice and Insurance
Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden-Brown today
issued an alert asking Cumberland County
residents who may have purchased insurance
through the Millville-based Bates General
Insurance Agency in 2003 and 2004 to contact
the Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor
to provide information regarding their
insurance purchase.
Criminal Justice Director McKoy noted
that the Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor
is investigating complaints that Stacey
Bates, 32, the owner of Bates General
Insurance Agency, formerly located at
319 North High Street, Millville, Cumberland
County, accepted premium payments for
homeowners insurance policies, failed
to purchase the insurance, and potentially
used the funds for non-insurance-related
expenses. Specifically, the Office of
Insurance Fraud Prosecutor is investigating
the validity of insurance policies purchased
through the Bates Agency in 2003 and 2004.
Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Gooden-Brown
noted that State Investigators have identified
more than 70 Bates Insurance Agency customers
and that Bates may have defrauded other
insurance clients who are unaware that
they may be without insurance coverage.
The Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor
is encouraging anyone in the Cumberland
and Salem County area who had contact
with the Bates Insurance Agency to call
the Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor
at 609-896-8931. Specific
information being sought from Bates Agency
customers include copies of cancelled
checks, receipts, invoices, insurance
cards, or other documentation received
from the Bates Agency. All information
will remain confidential.
Additionally, the Office of the Insurance
Fraud Prosecutor has developed a client
questionnaire and is requesting Bates
Agency customers to answer the following
questions:
- Did
you purchase insurance through the Bates
Insurance Agency in 2003 or 2004?
- What
type of insurance was purchased through
the Bates Insurance Agency?
- How
long have you been a customer of the
Bates Insurance Agency?
- How
much was paid for any insurance policy(s)?
- How
did you pay for insurance policy(s)?
Do you have receipt(s) or cancelled
check(s) to confirm payment? To whom
did you make payment(s)?
- Were
you given any proof of insurance coverage
from the Bates Insurance Agency?
- After
you paid for any insurance policy(s),
was it determined that you did not have
coverage? How did you find out you were
not covered?
- Please
add anything that may be relevant to
this investigation?
The ongoing investigation is being coordinated
by State Investigator Robert Stemmer and
Deputy Attorney General Lewis Korngut
of the Division
of Criminal Justice - Office
of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor. The
investigation will be submitted to a State
Grand Jury for further review.
#
# #