Author Archives: virginiasmp

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, you or your friends might be thinking about love. But not everyone is — some are just looking to get into your pockets. Read on so you can spot and report scammers before they trick someone you care about out of money. Romance scammers might contact you onContinue reading “Did Your Dating App Match Just Ask You for Money? “

Smelling huge profits in targeting older Americans, organized gangs —the underworld syndicates that once focused on drug trafficking, gambling and other high-profile crimes —are increasingly entering the consumer fraud business, according to interviews with several law enforcement officials. These syndicates, often based overseas, are using impersonation, intimidation and, in rarer cases, violence to steal fromContinue reading “Organized Crime Gangs Earn Big Bucks in Shift to Fraud”

Gabriella Santibanez and Lisa Hazard pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit over $7 million in health care fraud. Court documents show that they ran a mobile phlebotomy company, PhlebXpress Inc., that provided phlebotomy and other medical collection services at patients’ homes and long-term care facilities. They agreed to bill Medicare for services provided that wereContinue reading “Owners of Mobile Phlebotomy Company Plead Guilty”

Romance scams are more common than ever. Even if you don’t use dating apps, you might still be targeted by one. BBB Scam Tracker is getting reports from dating scam victims who were conned through social media. Get to know the signs, so you can spot a fake romance before getting in too deep. (Read More)

When Nicole Brandes, 54, did a routine check of her three linked Bank of America accounts online recently, she noticed something alarming: $10,000 was missing. The Washington, D.C., art teacher looked closer to find that $9,300 from her business account and $700 from her personal checking account had first been transferred to a fourth accountContinue reading “Money Can Be Stolen From Your Bank Account: Here’s How to Lower Your Risk”

Dean Zusmer and Lawrence Alexander were convicted for their roles in a scheme to defraud Medicare by submitting over $31 million in claims for expensive durable medical equipment (DME) that Medicare beneficiaries did not need and that were procured through the payment of kickbacks. Marketers used overseas call centers to solicit patients and telemedicine companiesContinue reading “Doctors Convicted in DME Scheme”

The devastation in Turkey and Syria following massive earthquakes is inspiring people to help and donate. And it’s prompting scammers — like they do after every disaster — to take advantage of your generosity. Find out how to make sure your money helps people in need. Scammers use familiar-sounding names to create fake charities, orContinue reading “Donating to Help After Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria? “

Charles William McElwee pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiring to buy and sell more than 2.6 million Medicare beneficiary identification numbers, along with other personal identifiers. As part of his plea, McElwee admitted that he and his co-conspirators used “data mining” and “social engineering techniques” to collect Medicare beneficiary information, which McElwee then advertisedContinue reading “Marketer Pleads Guilty in Medicare Number Scheme”

Traditional rental car companies are no longer your only option for renting a ride when you’re out of town. Car-sharing apps, essentially Airbnb for car owners, make renting a privately owned vehicle possible for hours, days, or even longer. Many times, these apps are cheaper than a traditional rental car too. However, if you rent from aContinue reading “BBB Tip: What to Know Before Renting from a Car Sharing App”