EQC considering increasing fraud team

9:56 pm on 5 August 2011

The Earthquake Commission is looking at increasing the size of its team investigating fraudulent claims.

The commission's Christchurch events manager Reid Stiven says at present, a very small team is looking into 37 claims.

Mr Stiven says the commission takes issues of fraud very seriously.

"This is the homeowners' money that we're charged with protecting, so we have to be prudent about everything we pay.

"And if we're not happy with it, like any other business we've got to be sure what we're paying is what we're able to pay."

A woman facing charges of submitting false invoices to the Earthquake Commission made a second appearance at the Christchurch District Court on Friday.