Author Archives: virginiasmp

Buying a home can open the door to a flood of deceptive offers, from charges for unnecessary documents to pitches for warranties you don’t need.  That’s because when you apply for a mortgage, lenders check your credit reports — and credit reporting agencies then sell your information to data brokers and other third parties who target youContinue reading “New Law Limits Barrage of Scams and Deceptive Offers Targeting Homebuyers”

Dr. Tommie Robinson has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty in connection with a $6 million telemedicine fraud scheme. Charging documents say he worked with telemedicine companies to sign medical documentation, including doctors’ orders, for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment and genetic testing. He never had any contact with the beneficiaries and hadContinue reading “Doctor Charged with Telemedicine Scheme”

Contactless payments are convenient, but scammers are using ghost tapping to steal from unsuspecting consumers. Find out how this tap-to-pay fraud works and how to stay safe. (Read More)

Retired priest, Father Robert Banzin, has devoted his life to the service of others. Now in his 80s, he continues to preach every Sunday at his Chicago-area parish. Father Bob, as he is known in his community, gets an alarming email claiming that his PayPal account had been used for a purchase on eBay. Concerned, heContinue reading “PayPal Impostor Scam Steals Priest’s Life Savings”

Don’t trust anyone to do the job if your driveway needs paving or repairs. BBB Scam Tracker has numerous reports of unscrupulous contractors who trick homeowners with supposedly good deals on driveway paving and repairs. Homeowners end up with shoddy pavement, or nothing at all, to show for what they paid and, in some cases, have lostContinue reading “Need a new driveway? Look out for asphalt paving scams”

Stephen Timothy Wells, the owner of physical therapy clinic Oahu Spine and Rehab, was sentenced to nine months in prison and ordered to pay almost $400,000 in restitution for health care fraud. Wells used individuals not trained in physical therapy to provide physical therapy services to patients. He billed programs as though the services hadContinue reading “Physical Therapy Owner Sentenced”

If you’re a servicemember, you’re probably used to moving around every few years. Whether you’re moving a few states away or to another country, you might need to break a lease, sell a car, or redirect your mail to a new address — all things involving your personal information. While planning your next big move,Continue reading “Protect your personal information, no matter where military life takes you”

Jordan is a star athlete and homecoming king who is packing for a beach vacation when he receives a message on Instagram. The account is of an attractive girl named Dani. Jordan exchanges flirty messages with her, and eventually, she convinces him to send an explicit photo of himself. That’s when everything changes. Dani threatensContinue reading “Sextortion Scam Targeting Michigan Teen Ends in Tragedy”