North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Unique Rae-Sharnette Sessoms, 23, of 722 Woodland Road, Raleigh. Sessoms was charged with insurance fraud and attempting to obtain property by false pretense, both felonies.
Special agents with the Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division accuse Sessoms of falsely claiming an automobile accident occurred after she called Sentry Insurance Co. to reduce the deductible on her insurance policy.
According to the arrest warrant, Sessoms called the insurance company twice within eight minutes. She provided accident details during the first call when the deductible adjustment request was denied, the warrant says, adding that she successfully reduced the deductible on the second call. Damages to her vehicle were estimated $3,410.45, according to the warrant.
The offense occurred on July 3.
Special agents and Wake County deputies arrested Sessoms on Oct. 7. She was given a $3,000 unsecured bond.
“It’s estimated that property and casualty insurance fraud costs insurance customers $120 billion a year in increased premiums,” said Commissioner Causey. “The Department of Insurance has reinforced its criminal investigations procedures and personnel in an effort to make more arrests to keep fraud from driving up insurance costs.”
If you suspect insurance fraud or other white-collar crimes, please report it. You may report fraud anonymously by calling the N.C. Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations Division at 919-807-6840. Information is also available at www.ncdoi.gov.