
Insurance Scam
You Can’t Make This Stuff Up: South Carolina Woman Jailed for Fake Deer Insurance Scam
By James Seidel | CC News Network
First, it was the fake bear insurance scam in Los Angeles, where fraudsters claimed a bear caused over $141,000 in vehicle damage—only for investigators to discover it was just a guy in a bear costume.
Now, a South Carolina woman is making headlines for her own wildlife-inspired insurance fraud—this time, involving a fictitious deer.
The Fake Deer Scam
Queen Viola Arthur, 33, of Hartsville, S.C., was arrested earlier this month after allegedly faking a car accident in an attempt to cash in on a bogus insurance claim.
According to South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) investigators, Arthur filed a false claim with Progressive Insurance in October 2023, stating that her car sustained damage after hitting a deer on the road.
There was just one problem—the “evidence” she provided was taken before the alleged crash even happened.
Metadata Exposes the Fraud
Progressive became suspicious when reviewing the digital photographs Arthur submitted as proof of the damage. Investigators discovered that metadata embedded in the images showed they were taken before the date of the alleged accident—and even before her policy coverage began.
Adding to the trouble, Arthur had assured the insurance company that her vehicle had no prior unrepaired damage.
According to the arrest warrant, Arthur admitted to at least some of the allegations and attempted to collect a fraudulent payout of $2,014.
Insurance Fraud Crackdown
Arthur was arrested after an investigation by SLED and the South Carolina Department of Insurance and has since been released on bond.
Authorities are cracking down on staged accidents and fraudulent insurance claims, which cost companies—and ultimately policyholders—millions of dollars each year.
The Fake Bear Case: A Reminder That Fraudsters Get Caught
Arthur’s case comes just two months after four Los Angeles residents were caught attempting an even more elaborate insurance scam—claiming a bear had caused over $141,000 in vehicle damage.
But after reviewing security footage, investigators debunked the claim—finding that the “bear” was, in fact, a person in a bear costume.
Final Thoughts
From fake bears to fictional deer, some people will go to wild lengths to scam insurance companies. But as these fraudsters keep learning the hard way—metadata, surveillance footage, and modern investigative tools make it harder than ever to get away with it.
You really can’t make this stuff up.
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