Delaware Woman Pretended To Be Terminally Ill Mother To Get $50K Life Insurance, Officials Say
LINCOLN, DE (WJZ) — A Delaware woman was arrested on Thursday by Capitol Police for insurance fraud after she tried to take her mother's life insurance, officials said.
The charges allege that Arlene Belfield, 51, of Lincoln, DE., pretending to be her terminally ill mother, contacted AAA Insurance by phone to obtain a $50,000 Life Insurance policy with the intent to defraud.
The charges allege that Belfield used her mother's personal identifying information without her consent. Belfield attempted to collect the policy two days after her mother's death, with the sole beneficiary of the policy Belfield.
After reviewing the claim, AAA Insurance suspected that an imposter submitted the application.
The Delaware Department of Insurance further alleges that Belfield knew that her mother's death was imminent when she submitted the application to the insurance company.
She is charged with insurance fraud, identity theft, second-degree forgery and crime against a vulnerable adult.
She was arraigned and released on her recognizance.
