Britons 'admit claims' in Brazil

**dirtydog** · 18-08-2009, 02:17 PM

Britons 'admit claims' in Brazil

The women were due to return to the UK after a trip around the world

Two UK law graduates are reported to have admitted falsely claiming some of their belongings had been stolen during a robbery in Brazil.

Brazil's TV Globo says Shanti Andrews and Rebecca Turner told a court they were robbed, but exaggerated the theft to increase their insurance claim.

They were said to have told police that goods worth £1,000 were stolen from them during a bus journey in Brazil.

The women, both 23, testified before a judge in Rio de Janeiro on Monday.

The BBC's Gary Duffy said that a judgement in the case is still being awaited.

Miss Andrews and Miss Turner were on bail until their trial.

Police allegedly uncovered some of the items reported stolen in their Rio hostel room.

Miss Turner, from Woolton Hill near Newbury, Berkshire, and Miss Andrews of Frant near Tunbridge Wells, Sussex, were due to return to England after a nine-month trip around the world.

They were arrested after officers from a specialist tourist support unit apparently became suspicious that they had waited several days before reporting the theft.

BBC NEWS | UK | Britons 'admit claims' in Brazil

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**taxexile** · 18-08-2009, 02:20 PM

a big fuss about nothing, but it will serve these lawyers right if they get put away for a while.

Dan · 18-08-2009, 02:23 PM

Someone goes on holiday and scams the insurance. Complete non-news.

**mrsquirrel** · 18-08-2009, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by Dan

Complete non-news.

WRONG

THey are white, single, it's the summer and they are also middle class females.

It's huge news.

It would only be bigger if they were black,pregnant and ondeath row......

Of course if they were white, fat and balding it would never have made the headlines.

**Texpat** · 18-08-2009, 03:14 PM

Typical of the scum that tumbles out of that place.

**dirtydog** · 18-08-2009, 03:19 PM

^I know quite a few Americans that cannot get travel insurance, something to do with numerous previous claims

**bretby** · 18-08-2009, 04:17 PM

Yep, the Americans are well at it as well.

Fraud statistics

**Happyman** · 18-08-2009, 04:33 PM

I was handling insurance claims for many years and this sort of minor claim used to turn up several times a MONTH !

As I ran the Heavy engineering, Theft and Industrial Fraud section, all tourist theft / suspected fraudulent claims used to pass across my desk before they were allocated to one of my minions !!

Only about 1 in 10 were genuine !!

The area we covered was Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Philippines, Sing and Malaysia.

Nationalities or origin of fraudulent claimants on holiday were-

Here we go !
in order of frequency

Indian sub-continent
Middle Eastern
BRITS ! about the same as American
Italian French and Germans also about equal

Strangely enough I do not recall a claim from any Scandinavian.

What really stood out though was that the genuine claims ( from any nationality) were usually made by Mom & Pop, Family on holiday, first time overseas travellers, and the out and out attempted rip- offs were from seasoned travellers and /or professional types !!!

**mrsquirrel** · 18-08-2009, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by Happyman

What really stood out though was that the genuine claims ( from any nationality) were usually made by Mom & Pop, Family on holiday, first time overseas travellers, and the out and out attempted rip- offs were from seasoned travellers and /or professional types !!!

Only ever claimed once for medical expenses and a pair of glasses I lost.

Never got the glasses back as I managed to lose the receipt and the police report.

Got the money back for the medical expenses though.

**dirtydog** · 18-08-2009, 07:55 PM

Originally Posted by Happyman

Only about 1 in 10 were genuine !!

I don't believe that, maybe 1 in 100, everybody knows what rip off merchants insurers are so they always up their claims.

**bretby** · 18-08-2009, 08:45 PM

Originally Posted by dirtydog

Originally Posted by Happyman

Only about 1 in 10 were genuine !!

I don't believe that, maybe 1 in 100, everybody knows what rip off merchants insurers are so they always up their claims.

....and there lies the problem. These insurance companies use every trick in the book not to pay out and when they do pay out they want to get away with paying a derisory amount and so people inflate claims knowing that they will be beaten down by the insurers.

**crazy dog** · 18-08-2009, 09:30 PM

Bet the Japs don't do it, very honest and honorable people. Hope these twats get a few weeks, why should the Brazilians have to put up with greedy foreign rich kids fucking them about? They will of course make a few quid with the usual our hell in a rat infested prison story crap for the sunday press.

**dirtydog** · 19-08-2009, 12:21 AM

^Should think the other prisoners have eaten all the rats

**helge** · 19-08-2009, 12:42 AM

Originally Posted by Happyman

Strangely enough I do not recall a claim from any Scandinavian.

Here I am, worried about Happyman, and then this

**dirtydog** · 19-08-2009, 12:46 AM

^You can admit your crimes on here helge

**SiLeakHunt** · 19-08-2009, 01:12 AM

I'm loath to claim on my insurance for little stuff incase i run out of good will.

**helge** · 19-08-2009, 01:13 AM

Why would I need Travelinsurance ?
I trust the Thais.

And Insurancecompanies for that matter, and..

No, can't do this

**dirtydog** · 19-08-2009, 01:30 AM

Originally Posted by SiLeakHunt

I'm loath to claim on my insurance for little stuff incase i run out of good will

You normally get 3 hits from them

so my Ameeeerican friends tell me.

**BugginOut** · 19-08-2009, 06:54 AM

No wonder the UK is seeking to adopt Islamic law on the population. Those two should definitely be kept under burkas.

**Orroz** · 19-08-2009, 10:49 AM

Something tells me these two aren't going to prison. Whenever it becomes high profile like this, deals are done.

DaffyDuck · 19-08-2009, 01:18 PM

They are both ugly, and stupid -- let them rot in jail.

Dan · 20-08-2009, 10:06 AM

^ I think that's the general principle which judges and juries use but being white and middle class is admissible as justification for clemency.

Community service for the two:

Two British tourists, who spent six nights in an overcrowded Rio de Janeiro jail after being arrested and accused of insurance fraud, were spared further prison time yesterday despite being convicted on three charges.

The law graduates were sentenced to one year and four months in jail at a court in central Rio, but the prison time was converted into community service by the judge.

Judge Flavio Itabaiana ruled that the pair should perform seven hours of community service each day in Brazil for a period of eight months and ordered them to pay a fine of around £3,000.

British students get community service in Rio | World news | The Guardian

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