At least 39 officers and other employees filled out fake insurance applications, and police believe the scammers may have also targeted transit police and fire stations, according to a report by the Florida Times-Union newspaper.
Cintia Pedone-Allou and Dawnetta Underwood, both of Maryland, were arrested for the scam. They are being held in the Fulton County jail on $55,000 bond each.
The scam involved an unidentified man calling a precinct and asking for the watch commander’s name. The man would then call that watch commander and ask if his benefits representatives were there yet.
When Pedone-Allou and Underwood arrived, they would give the desk officer the watch commander’s name and say the commander was expecting them. They said they were from “employee benefits” and were there to sign people up for enhanced Aflac benefit packages and supplemental insurance; they were then allowed to address officers gathered for roll call at the beginning of a shift. Those interested were then asked to fill out forms that included requests for personal information.
“Obviously, it’s pretty bold to go into a police precinct and target police officers for this. Anybody can be fooled, and this is a good example. If they can get us, they can get anybody”, Sgt. Paul Cooper, a spokesman for the Atlanta police, told the newspaper.