The term fake claims refers to insurance claims that are made fraudulently. These claims are made in an attempt for the policy holder to benefit financially from making claims that are false or exaggerated. While such practices are a fairly common occurrence, they are highly illegal. Fake claims are often exaggerations of valid claims to an insurance policy. For example, a homeowner insurance policy holder may have been the victim of a breaking and entering where items were stolen. The number (and value) of the stolen items may be exaggerated on the claims report, indicating that more items were stolen than really were. This exaggeration could lead to the homeowner receiving a larger claim settlement than that to which he or she is truly entitled. Large claims are often investigate to mitigate such problems.