This browser does not support the Video element.
Beware of scams related to the BP oil spill
Beware of scams related to the BP oil spill
MILWAUKEE -- It's an age-old story -- shady characters looking to get rich off of other people's misery. It's worse after every disaster. Even though we're not close to the BP oil spill, Contact 6's Katrina Cravy found out why we are still victims.
The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was the worst in history. The aftermath included thousands of people applying for government assistance; some of them con-artists.
It's mind-boggling to believe that 87 people would falsely claim the massive spill cost them their jobs at a seafood processing plant.
"Our investigation determined that none of these people worked in that seafood processing plant, they never heard of the people. It was a totally fraudulent claim," said David Dirmeyer, U.S. Postal Inspector.
The dollar loss to you, the taxpayer, is some $352,000.
"There were lots of people who deserved money who lost their jobs, lost their businesses and they were unable to get money," said Dirmeyer.
The good news -- the rip-off artists who tried to profit from this disaster were easily caught.
"Whenever you file a false claim, just the act itself of filing the claim is committing a federal offense...justice is swift and it is severe so don't do it," said Vicki Davis, Assistant U.S. Attorney.
Postal inspectors got this case from the National Center for Disaster Fraud. That agency investigates all suspected fraud after both natural and even man-made disasters like the Gulf spill.