A Carrboro resident is facing two felony charges, according to the North Carolina Department of Insurance, stemming from their actions after a vehicle accident last fall.

A release from the state department said 56-year-old Karen Patillo is charged with insurance fraud and attempting to obtain property by false pretense. Agents with the Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division say Patillo was involved in a crash on November 23, 2022 — but misrepresented the date and time of the incident while filing an insurance claim. The department accuses her of adding insurance coverage after the accident and then filing a claim for the accident with Dairyland Insurance Co.

According to the press release, Patillo was served a criminal summons in March. It did not specify whether the November incident happened in Carrboro or elsewhere.

“Insurance fraud hits consumers in the wallet,” North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey said in the message. “Approximately 20 cents of every insurance premium dollar go to covering the cost of fraud. I’m fighting this by aggressively pursuing and prosecuting insurance fraud in North Carolina.”

The state Department of Insurance added that anyone who suspects insurance fraud or other white-collar crimes is encouraged to report it to its criminal investigations division. Anonymous reports and tips can be left at the department’s hotline (919-807-6840) or reported online at the department’s website.

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