THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) -- The owner of a Bronx supermarket claims a customer tried to extort his insurance carrier in a slip-and-fall scam, which was caught on camera.
The alleged scam played out inside his East Tremont Fine Fare store on Jan. 22. The video shows the man’s apparent accomplice first pouring water on the floor to assist in the theatrics.
Moments later another would-be-victim comes along, lifts several cases of water, and then falls flat on his behind after stepping on the wet floor.
“We are all victims today of this insurance fraud,” said store owner Miguel Luna.
Not even two weeks later, on Feb. 2, Luna got a letter from the man’s lawyer notifying him that his insurance carrier was being sued for personal injuries.
“Everybody could see that was fake,” Luna said.
When PIX11 News contacted the claimant’s attorney Tuesday, he said in an email that he had dropped the client.
But if Luna hadn’t been diligent, he says it could have been costly for him—and ultimately for store customers, since owners often have to raise their prices.
“Sometimes the insurance doesn't want to spend money on lawyers [fees]. They settle for $20,000 or $30,000,” Luna explained.
“It happens a lot of times,” added Francisco Marte of the Bodega and Small Business Group.
That’s why the association is working with owners to install high-definition cameras to foil phony claims. A recent $1 million state grant helped 75 stores install the enhanced security.
“The next phase will be Harlem and Washington Heights,” Marte said.
Luna already invested in a top-of-the-line system complete with facial recognition technology that sounds an alarm when banned customers try to enter.
Loss prevention technology proving to pay dividends when it comes to frivolous claims and petty criminals for this small business owner.
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