Consumers warned of hurricane frauds

The Co-operators and the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) are warning of frauds designed to profit from the damage Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have wrought in the southern United States. “As a result of the recent natural disasters in the Southern US, many vehicles and boats were destroyed beyond repair,” the Co-operators notes on its Web site, referencing a link posted by the IBC.”Please be aware that some are out to make a quick buck from this loss by buying these salvage boats and cars and dressing them up to look good on the outside. But lift the hood and look inside: if you buy one of these boats or cars, you may be in for a nasty and costly – surprise.”The Co-operators site urges Web site visitors to “check into the history of any car or boat you may purchase” using the database provided by the U.S.-based National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).”You can do this by searching the NICB database for vehicles and watercraft affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita,” the Co-operators site says.Identification numbers on the NICB database can be compared to the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) found on dashboards, driver’s side door jamb stickers, and title documents. For boat craft, the Hull Identification Number (HIN) can be found on the right rear of the watercraft hull.The Co-operators site notes the NICB database information “has not independently verified most of the information and cannot vouch for its accuracy.”