A statutory benefits claimant has had her bank funds frozen amid allegations of a “brazen fraud” involving forged invoices for medical care she never received. 

Haneen Asfour is facing civil action by NRMA Insurance, which sought the freeze order ahead of its bid to recover $380,594 allegedly “obtained by the defendant on the basis of misleading or deceptive statements or conduct in making her claim”. 

In granting the order, a NSW Supreme Court judge noted Ms Asfour began receiving statutory benefits from third-party insurer NRMA following a car crash in Prospect in December 2022. 

The sum sought by the insurer relates to additional payments for private pain management and psychology sessions with medical practitioners who have since sworn they did not treat the woman. 

“I think absent [a freezing] order, she could readily remove or dispose of the financial benefit she has obtained by withdrawing money from bank accounts or opening other bank accounts which may not necessarily be easily traced,” the judge said. 

NRMA’s statement of claim and the freezing order were served on Ms Asfour last week. She will continue receiving her statutory benefits of $2113 per fortnight after tax. 

The ruling is available here.