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From the North Carolina Department of Insurance

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrests of Amberly Michelle Bell, 46, and her son, Brady O’Neil Daniels, 22, both of 2048 Robersonville Road, Washington, N.C. Bell was charged with insurance fraud and attempting to obtain property by false pretense. Daniels was charged with two counts of insurance fraud and two counts of attempting to obtain property by false pretense.

All the charges are felonies. Both Bell and Daniels are both insurance agents.

Special agents with the Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division accuse Daniels of filing a fraudulent $725 tow bill claim with Discovery Insurance, with Bell supporting his claim. After Discovery denied the claim, Daniels filed another claim for the tow bill with Progressive Insurance, according to special agents.

The offense occurred on March 11.

Both individuals were arrested on June 5 and appeared in Beaufort County District Court on June 6.

“Insurance fraud hits consumers in the wallet,” Commissioner Causey said. “Approximately 20 cents of every insurance premium dollar goes to covering the cost of fraud. I’m fighting this by aggressively pursuing and prosecuting insurance fraud in North Carolina.”

If you suspect insurance fraud or other white-collar crimes, please report it. You may anonymously report fraud by calling the N.C. Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations Division at 919-807-6840 or toll free from anywhere in North Carolina at 888-680-7684.

Information is also available at www.ncdoi.gov.