Disability Fraud: How Social Media Searches Can Help You

As a claims adjuster, you know that detecting fraud is a constant part of your job. Unfortunately, disability fraud is all too common, and it costs our industry billions of dollars every year. But here’s the good news—there’s a powerful tool at your disposal that you might not be fully utilizing: social media. In today’s blog, we’re going to tell you all about how to leverage it for claims handling.

Social Media: A Hidden Goldmine

When it comes to spotting disability fraud, social media can act as your investigative sidekick. Think about it—people tend to share a lot more about their lives on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn than they probably realize. What they post can reveal inconsistencies with their disability claims and expose fraudulent behavior.

Here’s how social media helps:

1. Uncovering Inconsistencies A claimant may say they’re unable to do certain tasks due to a disability, but their social media accounts could tell a completely different story. For instance, if someone is claiming to be unable to lift heavy objects due to a back injury, but they’re posting videos of themselves lifting weights at the gym, that’s a major red flag.
2. Spotting Physical Activities Many claimants make the mistake of posting about physical activities that directly contradict the severity of their reported injury. Whether it’s hiking, running, or even playing sports, these posts can serve as undeniable evidence that the claimant is not as injured as they claim.
3. Identifying Work-Related Activities Some claimants might say they’re unable to work, but their LinkedIn profiles or other social media platforms might show that they’re actively looking for a job, networking, or participating in industry-related events. This can be an indicator that the claimant is not as disabled as they’ve reported.

Which Social Media Platforms Should I Investigate?

Now that you know the uses of social media, it’s time for a deeper dive into which platforms you should focus on. Each social media site offers different insights into a claimant’s behavior, and knowing where to look will help you find what you’re looking for that much faster.

Facebook

Facebook is perhaps the most obvious platform for investigating fraud. People tend to post a lot about their personal lives here—vacations, family events, hobbies, and even daily routines. A quick scroll through someone’s Facebook feed can reveal if they’re living a lifestyle that contradicts the injury they’ve claimed.

• For example, a claimant says they can’t walk due to a knee injury but posts pictures from a beach vacation, walking around the boardwalk, or hiking with friends.

Instagram

Instagram is another great platform to monitor. People love to post pictures and videos of their daily activities—many of which could show them engaging in physical activities that contradict their disability claims.

• For example, a claimant who says they can’t move their arms due to shoulder surgery posts a picture of themselves playing tennis or lifting weights.

LinkedIn

While LinkedIn is a professional network, it’s still a goldmine for identifying claimants who may be pretending to be disabled while still engaging in work-related activities. A LinkedIn profile that shows a claimant is still networking, attending business events, or applying for new jobs can be a strong indicator that they’re not as “disabled” as they claim.

Twitter (X) & TikTok

Though less frequently used for personal activities, platforms like Twitter and TikTok can sometimes reveal important information. Claimants might tweet or post videos about activities that indicate they’re physically capable of doing more than they report. A quick search on these platforms can give you a sense of what’s going on behind the scenes.

Best Practices for Conducting Social Media Investigations

Now that you know which platforms to monitor, let’s talk about how to conduct social media investigations in an ethical, effective, and legal way.

1. Start with Basic Searches
   The first step is to conduct a simple search using the claimant’s full name. This will allow you to track down their profiles across various platforms and identify any posts or activities that could be relevant to the investigation.
2.  Don’t Engage with the Claimant
   One of the most important ethical guidelines when conducting social media investigations is that you should never directly engage with the claimant on their profiles. Don’t “friend” them or attempt to interact with them. Just gather the publicly available information.
3. Look for Red Flags
   Keep an eye out for specific inconsistencies. This includes checking for physical activity that contradicts the disability, any signs of working (even if the claimant says they’re unable to), and anything that contradicts their official medical reports.
4. Document Everything
   Make sure you keep a record of any evidence you find. Screenshots, timestamps, and URLs are crucial for ensuring that the information can be used in future claims reviews or legal proceedings.
5. Use Third-Party Tools When Necessary
   Sometimes, social media investigations can get a bit overwhelming—especially if you have a large volume of claims to investigate. Third-party tools and services can help streamline the process by automating searches and identifying key red flags for you. This can save you valuable time and ensure thoroughness.

Legal Considerations and Ethical Concerns

While social media searches are a great way to detect fraud, you must be mindful of legal and ethical concerns.

• Respect Privacy: Never engage with the claimant or access private accounts without their consent. Only use information that is publicly available.
• Stay Within Legal Boundaries: Be sure that your social media investigation complies with privacy laws and ethical standards. This includes not using fake profiles to gain access to restricted content.
• Use Findings Responsibly: Social media evidence can be incredibly powerful, but it should be used with caution. Always ensure that the information you gather is legitimate, reliable, and relevant to the claim.

Social media searches are a powerful tool in the fight against disability fraud. Social media gives you a completely free, semi-quick way of looking at the online activity of claimants and uncover possible inconsistencies.

As the landscape of claims investigations continues to evolve, social media will play an increasingly important role. By incorporating social media searches into your regular claims process, you’ll be better equipped to protect your organization from fraud and ensure that every claim is legitimate.

Have you started conducting social media investigations yet? If not, it’s never too late to start.

Get in touch with us to learn more about how to leverage social media for your claims investigations and use social media to your advantage.

Read our What is Image Authentication blog for more tools.

Check out our sources:

(2024, April 22). Social media emerges as key tool in identifying disability fraud. Claims Journal. Retrieved from https://www.claimsjournal.com/news/national/2024/04/22/323023.htm

AARP. (2019). SSA explores social media monitoring for disability fraud prevention. Retrieved from https://www.aarp.org