The Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario report automobile insurance fraud

TORONTO, May 19 /CNW/ - Recently the Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario has experienced a number of calls from people who have been caught in an automobile insurance scam.

Newspaper ads have been placed in several Ontario city newspapers and most recently in the Toronto area newspapers, advertising Auto Insurance and to call a number. The perpetrators of the scheme seem to place the newspaper ads for about a week and then move onto another city and newspaper using a different phone number and a new business name. The names used so far have been Rawlings and Powell Insurance (66 Mountjoy St. South, Timmins, Ont., P4N 1S4), Ashley Brokers, Arthur and Son, Interprovince, Smith and Son and Addison. As they change cities, they change the telephone number and the business name advertised.

Some of the phone numbers used in the ads are as follows:

    
    416-598-5314 and FACSIMILE number 1-888-858-3138
    1-866-572-5670
    905-598-5266
    905-781-0149
    

The victim is then directed to send money by Western Union money gram for the auto insurance coverage. Subsequently the victim then does not receive any policy and when they follow up and call the phone number, it is out of service and they are left with no valid insurance in place.

People should exercise caution when purchasing their insurance and make certain they are dealing with a legitimate Insurance Broker or Agent.

Any persons who may have been caught by the above scam, please call the Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario at 416-365-1900 or 1-800-265-3097, or email [email protected].

The Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario (RIBO) is the self-regulatory body for insurance brokers in Ontario. Established in October 1981, RIBO regulates the licensing, professional competence, ethical conduct, and insurance related financial obligations of all independent general insurance brokers in the province.

For further information: Barbara Dalgleish-Reid, [phone], 1-800-265-3097, Email: [email protected]