Virginia man faces insurance fraud, related charges in Wake County

North CarolinaInsurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrests of Matthew Stewart Edwards, 35, of 10404 Morning Dew Lane, Mechanicsville, Virginia. Edwards 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 Edwards of attempting to defraud Progressive Premier Insurance Co. of Illinois out of $2,010.33 following a hit-and-run crash on June 6 along Wake Forest Road in Raleigh. Investigators found that the damages to Edwards' 2013 Volkswagen Passat were already present prior to obtaining a policy with a Rocky Mount post office box as his address. The previous owner of the vehicle had already filed an insurance claim for the exact same damage.

Edwards surrendered to authorities at the Wake County Magistrates office. He was placed under a $10,000 secured bond.

Commissioner Causey encourages North Carolinians to help keep insurance premiums low by reporting suspicious fraud. "Insurance fraud is not a victimless crime," Commissioner Causey said. "It hits all of us in the pocket through higher premiums."

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.