Insurance agent charged with identity theft

Raleigh, N.C. — A Raleigh insurance agent has been charged with stealing the identities of more than 100 people to collect commissions for signing them up for Medicare, authorities said Monday.

Melissa Swain Parrish, 36, of 8423 Meadow View Lane in Bahama, was charged with one count each of identity theft and obtaining property by false pretense. She has been released from jail on a $100,000 bond.

Parrish, a contract agent with Miracle Insurance Co. of Raleigh, has surrendered her agent's license, authorities said.

State Department of Insurance investigators said Parrish stole people's identities – some of the people were deceased – and signed them up for Medicare Advantage plans. She collected more than $7,000 in commissions for the false applications, investigators said.

One of the alleged victims contacted the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, which passed the complaint on to the DOI's Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program. SHIIP provides unbiased information about Medicare and related insurance products to Medicare recipients or caregivers.

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Latest Comments

I think she is as good a place to start as any.

dxedame
March 23, 2009 2:55 p.m.

this orginization is a crooked group, miracle insurance, potential agents stay away. As a new agent i lost thousands of dollars dealing with this group of crooks. this was the same company offering life insurance for seniors for 0$ and shammed alot of nc agents.

brothainnc
March 23, 2009 2:14 p.m.

Because the illegals are paying taxes into the Social Security system which in theory would not have to be repaid because they should not be able to collect benefits down the road...but we know that won't happen. Just like you can't arrest them for filing a tax return with a fake Social Security #, as long as the government gets its money, it's all good.

vin2k
March 23, 2009 1:08 p.m.

Why is this woman being arrested for identity theft when there is hundreds of thousand of illegals also using someone else's social security number to gain money but the government refuses to arrest them?

Isn't that SELECTIVE PROSECUTION???

affirmativediversity
March 23, 2009 12:57 p.m.