Kim Tamayo, of Coast Construction, and Justine Bone, of DataSafe, worked the membership table.

Your 2007 EBCA Officers (l-r):
Sec. Carol Valenzuela, VP Kelly Sullivan; Pres. Karen Cowan, and Tresurer Phil Hughes.

2007 EBCA Board of Directors (l-r): Past Pres. Bob Tucknott, Tucknott Electric Co.; Stevan Muir, CSAA; Debbi Walling, Allied; Ray Depa, Crawford & Co.; and Chris Capels, AIG (Susan Spencer, Cunningham Lindsey not present).

Extra tables were set up, and the buffet lunch was just barely enough food for all that attended the January meeting.

Make your reservations now for the February luncheon by emailing EBCA Secretary Carol Valenzuela

Guest speaker Kevin Rainbolt, SIU Regional Manager for AIG was the January guest speaker.

EBCA President Karen Cowan expressed her delight in the turnout, introduced the new Board, as well as guest speaker Kevin Rainbolt.

Jeff Crone of V and M Restoration, Inc.

Ricelli Mordecai, of FRSTeam by Custom Commercial, gives a wave.

Justine Bone of DataSafe

Frances Hewitt and Bob Tucknott, of Tucknott Electric Co.

Keven Crabb, with Blue Sky Cleaners, helped deliver the door prizes.

“Materiality” Key in Determining Fraud
By Bryan Harrison

“This suspicion I think exists - does it make a difference to the claim?” This question, and others like it, were posed by guest speaker, Kevin Rainbolt, at the January 10, 2007 EBCA luncheon meeting. “If not, it’s probably ‘abuse’, not ‘fraud’,” he explained.

Rainbolt, the Western Regional SIU Manager for AIG, stated early on that his company is one of only a few that has a “pure fraud investigative team.” Getting prosecutions on even “slam-dunk” cases can still be a difficult task. “L.A. County has about 80% of the fraud fighting budget in California,” he explained.

He gave a fast-paced and informative presentation, keeping a close watch on his limited time. His talk prompted input from other adjusters, questions, and discussion from the crowd.

“We couldn’t do what we do without the vendors; whether it’s Cause & Origin or Restoration, the vendors are the ones in the trenches,” he stated.

The latest trend in vehicle fraud, he said, has to do with I.D. theft. “New cars are being sold to people, often illegal aliens, with fake I.D.’s. They’re then being driven to Mexico.

He encouraged all fraud-fighters to keep on your local and state government officials to increase funding for prosecution.

Friendly competitors: Kim MacFarlane of PW Stephens, and Jaime Tamayo of Environmental Remedies, Inc.	Dick Audley, who’s given so much service to EBCA with his past legal reviews, was onhand.

Thanks to all our January Door Prize Sponsors Pipe Pros Tucknott Electric Co. Coast Construction Belfor Property Restoration CRDN Bay Area ServiceMaster Blue Sky Cleaners DMA Housing Assistants EFI Global TempHome Services Vanderbuilt Construction V and M Restoration, Inc. Restoration Management Co. PW Stephens Contractors	Congrats to our January 50/50 Raffle Winner EBCA Past President, Bob Tucknott