Spy Cam Placed on Disabled Man’s Neighbor’s Property by Insurance Company
Dana Fredericks, who filed a disability claim at with Accident Fund Insurance Company of America due to his back problems, says that his insurer placed a spy camera on the private property of his neighbor in order to conduct surveillance on him. The outraged neighbor, Ron Guzanek, reports that private investigators pretended to be cable workers and cut a clearing in his hedgerow while installing the sizable camera. Guzanek, who says the camera was placed on his private property on a private road without his consent, notified the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department.
The spy camera—which had short-circuited and was billowing smoke—was removed by the fire department and remains in the custody of the Sheriff’s Department, despite the assertions of Accident Fund Insurance Company of America that the company and its private investigators had complied with all laws. The insurance company is conducting an internal review into the matter.
While not all insurance companies will go to illegal lengths in order to spy on their insureds, this story is a reminder to anyone with a disability claim to be aware that at any time your insurance company may be conducting surveillance upon your activities.
Local television coverage of the Addison Township, Michigan spy cam incident can be viewed here.
