A Free Public Service

September 28, 2021

MEDICAL IDENTITY THEFT

Courtesy AARP

Medical identity theft is when someone uses your personal information, especially a Medicare or health insurance number, to get treatment, prescriptions or medical devices, submit claims, or obtain benefits under your name.

It can cost far more than purely financial identity theft. Federal law generally limits consumers’ liability for fraudulent credit card charges to $50, but there are no such protections for a stolen medical identity.

It may be considerably harder to undo the damage. Financial and personal complications “can endure for years,” the World Privacy Forum said in a 2017 report, with many victims suffering “long term problems with aggressive medical debt collection” and severely impaired credit due to phony bills. Some even have faced prosecution because thieves used their identities to stockpile prescription drugs.

It can harm your health as well as your finances, potentially causing treatment delays, incorrect prescriptions and misdiagnoses. As the FTC notes, “If a scammer gets treatment in your name, that person’s health problems could become a part of your medical record. It could affect your ability to get medical care and insurance benefits. It could even affect decisions made by doctors treating you later.

Health information can be obtained by differing means: impostor scams, phishing, data breaches, fake offers of medical freebies, even crooks stealing your mail or going through your trash. But it’s often a matter of “friendly fraud” by a relative or someone else they knew.

Warning Signs:

You get a bill for medical services you didn’t receive.

You hear from a debt collector about a medical debt you didn’t incur.

Your credit report includes health care expenditures you don’t recognize.

An explanation of benefits (EOB) from your insurer or a Medicare Summary Notice includes office visits you didn’t make or treatment you didn’t receive.

Your health plan says you’ve reached your benefit limit, citing treatment or services you did not get.

Someone asks in a call or email for your Medicare or insurance number as part of a health care “survey” or offer of free medical products or services.

Do’s:

Do shred outdated insurance forms, physician statements, prescription paperwork and other documents containing medical information before throwing them out. Keep electronic copies of such records secure.

Do carefully review EOBs, bills and other correspondence from insurers and medical providers. If you see anything suspicious, such as a doctor’s name or treatment date you don’t recognize, notify your insurer immediately.

Do ask your insurer at least once a year for a full list of benefits paid in your name.

Do check your credit reports. You can get one free report per year from each of the three reporting agencies (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion).

Do get copies of your medical files if you believe you’ve been victimized, and act quickly to correct mistakes (see More Resources, below). You have a right to get your records from health care providers, although you may have to pay for them.

Do file a police report, and give copies to your medical providers, insurers and the credit bureaus. It can help protect you if an identity thief starts using your information for fraud.

Don’ts:

Don’t jump on offers of free health services or products, especially if accompanied by a request for your Medicare or health plan number.

Don’t provide medical or insurance information over the phone or in an email unless you initiated the communication and are certain of whom you’re dealing with.

Don’t give medical or personal information in response to an unsolicited call or email from someone who claims to be from Medicare. A Medicare representative may call only if you initiated contact.

Don’t answer questions from a caller who says he or she is conducting a health survey and needs your Medicare or insurance number.

Don’t give your insurance information to a family member or friend, even if it’s to help them get treatment. Whatever the intent, it’s considered fraud against medical providers and insurers.

Call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline: 877-908-3360

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A Free Public Service

SCAMS BULLETING Host Jay White is an inactive attorney in San Mateo County, California.

September 23, 2021.

PHONY GREENWASHED PRODUCTS

Courtesy Scambusters

Greenwashing is a new take on fake news.

Greenwashing is defined by Investopedia as “an unsubstantiated claim to deceive consumers into believing that a company’s products are environmentally friendly.” It happens when businesses and other organizations make false or misleading claims about being eco-friendly.

By saying they’re ecologically sound they may increase their prices by suggesting it costs them more to go green. There are many vague and misleading green marketing claims and a few that are outright false.

They’re aiming at you if you’re the type of consumer who cares about ecologically sound products, preferring to do business with firms whose ideals you share.

“Greenwashing is a harmful and deceitful way of advertising that a company is greener than it is. When it happens, the company should be called out and forced to account for their actions,” says environmental watchdog Earth.org.

 Greenwashing Tricks:

*Hidden trade-offs where a producer promotes a single eco benefit that was achieved by ignoring other environmental concerns.

*Claims that simply can’t be proved. For example, saying that a product has or has not been tested on animals but providing no supporting evidence.

*Vagueness — confusing, misleading claims such as “chemical-free.” Ultimately, everything, even plants created by nature, is made of chemicals! Or using words like “made from recycled products” without saying how much is reused.

*Irrelevance — claims that may be true but don’t have much meaning. For example, claiming a product is free of ozone-damaging chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) is irrelevant since CFCs are banned globally.

“Lesser of two evils” — promoting the eco-friendliness of one aspect of a product, while ignoring another; for instance, so-called green herbicides or organic tobaccos.

*Telling lies! Yes, some firms have been caught out doing just that, especially making claims to be certified by organizations like USDA, Energy Star, or official testing and quality control labs.

Reports can be made to Federal Trade Commission: http://www.ftc.gov.

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A Free Public Service

SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is an inactive attorney in San Mateo County, California.

September 18, 2021

PROFSSIONAL LICENSE SUSPENSION SCAM

It’s troublesome stuff.

Scammers have put together an elaborate scheme to target professionals — people in the medical, teaching, counseling, and business sectors who need a license to practice.

The crooks use a three-pronged attack, first pretending to be an investigator from the licensing authority for their profession, then a higher-level chief investigator, and finally the fake FBI. In other cases, the crooks claim to belong to the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

They often bombard their targets with a series of phone calls and text messages, sometimes all joining in on a telephone conference call.

The scammers warn that the victim’s license is at risk of being suspended. The warning is followed by what seems to be an official notification that arrives by special delivery.

A faked letter looks as though it comes from the state licensing department. It may tell the recipient that their bank account has been linked to a money-laundering operation — the proceeds of an international drug smuggling gang — and that several other accounts have been opened in their name.

To make it more convincing, the letter usually includes key information about the victim, including their license number.

Then, the victim is offered the choice of either going to jail to await trial or to pay for and sign a Department of Justice Treasury bond.

As with so many scams, targets are told they must wire money, supposedly to pay for the bond, and then apply to have their license reinstated. They’re also told not to discuss the situation with anybody.

Wired money is usually untraceable, and the request for secrecy is intended to keep better informed people from spotting the scam.

Licenses are also the focus of a much simpler scam targeting professionals across the nation. The crooks simply phone their victims and demand a fee to activate their license.

Key Defensive Actions:

*If you’re a licensed professional, here are five key actions you can take to avoid being scammed:

*First, if you receive this type of threat, immediately contact your state licensing board to check if the warning was genuine.

*Don’t take the use of personal information, including your license details, as evidence of authenticity. Scammers have no problem getting hold of this sort of data.

*Never wire money to someone you don’t know or who hasn’t proved they are genuine.

*Do not respond to anyone who threatens jail if you don’t pay up immediately. Neither the police nor licensing bureaus behave in this way.

The crooks may also ask for confidential information, including Social Security numbers. Don’t give any such detail to someone you don’t know.

Most importantly, don’t let fear drive you into behaving impulsively and irrationally. Scammers know that professionals can only legally do their job if they have a license and that the fear of suspension can spark a panic. Stay calm.

Courtesy: Scambusters.org

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A Free Public Service

SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is an inactive attorney in San Mateo County, California.

September 4, 2021

POST-DISASTER SCAMS

Courtesy AARP

Disasters can bring out the best in people as neighbors and strangers alike roll up their sleeves and open their wallets to help those recovering. They also bring out the worst in scammers, for whom others’ misfortune is just a chance to make a fast buck. This includes aftermath of hurricanes, floods, wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes, explosions and chemical spills.

Disaster fraudsters often prey directly on those struggling to recover from extreme events. Specious contractors descend on affected communities, offering quick, cheap fixes for battered homes and businesses or rapid removal of debris—for payment up front. Since many lack local licensing, your homeowner’s insurance might not cover it. Others are outright scammers who take your money and run.

In another “post-disaster” con game, fraudsters claim to work for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or other government bodies. They contact victims with promises of grants, building permits or help speeding up insurance claims—if you pay a deposit or fee up front. A genuine FEMA inspector will not ask for money or personal information. Scammers may also pose as a claimed public insurance adjuster, charging high fees for doubtful damage assessments or directing you to disreputable contractors with whom they’re in league.

Warning Signs:

*A contractor offers to do post-disaster work on the spot and asks for payment in advance.

*A claimed government agent asks for payment to do an inspection or help you apply for disaster assistance.

*You receive a call from someone asking to verify your FEMA registration when you have not yet applied to the agency for assistance.

*A phony disaster charity’s name or web address resembles but does not quite match that of an established aid organization, and its website offers few details about it (for example, its leadership, physical location or history of relief work).

Dos:

Do due diligence before hiring a contractor. Get references, look up their local Better Business Bureau (BBB) profile and check that they are licensed with your state. Make sure they carry liability and workmen’s compensation coverage.

Do get detailed written estimates for repairs. Read contracts thoroughly before signing and keep copies Look for a business name and phone number of all paperwork.

Do make sure, before repair work starts, that your insurance company will cover it.

Do verify that a claimed public adjuster seeking to handle your claim is licensed. You can check that with your state’s insurance department.

Don’t give personal or financial data to someone claiming to be from FEMA. The agency may ask for Social Security and bank account numbers when you apply for disaster assistance online or by phone, but a FEMA representative will not do so in person.

Ask to see a purported FEMA representative’s official ID. A real agent will have a laminated photo badge. If you want to double-check, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362.

Don’ts:

Don’t agree to door solicitations for donations or repairs. Even if they seem legitimate, ask for more information rather than giving money on the spot.

Don’t sign over insurance checks to contractors or sign documents giving them rights to your insurance claims.

Don’t donate by text before checking with the charity to confirm the number.

Don’t take disaster solicitations on social media or crowdfunding sites at face value. Research the messenger before hitting the “donate” button.

Don’t be swayed by vague, sentimental appeals. Ask for specifics about how the charity helps disaster victims.

Don’t click on links or open attachments in email and social media solicitations unless you’re sure who sent them. They could be delivery systems for malware.

Bogus Charities:

Disasters also unleash a torrent of bogus charities. They pump out calls, text, emails and social media posts soliciting donations for relief work. Other faux fundraisers imply a connection to well-known aid organizations like the Red Cross or Oxfam.

Check a charities bona fides with a proven track record of disaster work before donating. Use online resources like Charity Navigator, CharityWatch, GuideStar or the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance.

More information on spotting charity scams can be found in the AARP Fraud Resource Center.

You can call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline: 877-908-3360.

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