Author Archives: virginiasmp

Looking for health insurance can be confusing. But if you run across a company that deliberately tricks you into signing up for insurance or health products that don’t deliver (and are hard to cancel), it’s even harder.  According to the FTC, Benefytt Technologies, Inc. and its partners did just that — tricking people into believing they couldContinue reading “Is that Health Insurance, a Health Product or a Scam?”

Like many of us, older adults are often targeted by con artists. Many victims don’t ask for help until it is too late! Help your friends, family, clients, or patients avoid fraud by knowing the signs of current or impending fraud. (Read More)

With the cost of groceries, housing, and many other things rising, you might be looking for ways to cut costs. You aren’t alone. Across the country, people are worried about high prices impacting their budgets. And scammers are taking notice.   Scammers may zero in on your anxiety over money in several ways. They mightContinue reading “As Prices Rise, Keep an Eye Out for Scammers”

Say what you will about Washington politics, but older Americans generally still trust many of the federal government’s agencies and operations. Unfortunately, crooks know this. The AARP Fraud Watch Network has been inundated with calls about scams involving someone impersonating an IRS agent, Medicare official, Social Security Administration officer, FBI agent or other government worker.Continue reading “Government Impostor Scams on the Rise”

Sorry to burst your bubble. That unexpected text from the Postal Service (USPS), Costco, or The Home Depot telling you about an unclaimed package or a survey you can complete to claim a freebie is NOT from them. It’s a scam. (Read More)

Thursday, October 13, 8:30am-1pm. Learn about current scams, financial trends, self defense and health info!

Medicare fraud is big business, and like most businesses, it has adapted to the new environment of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The public health emergency created an opportunity for fraudsters to modify and repurpose existing schemes,” a spokesperson for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, said in an email. CMS has seen badContinue reading “5 Ways to Protect Yourself from Medicare Fraud”

Looking for health insurance can be confusing. But if you run across a company that deliberately tricks you into signing up for insurance or health products that don’t deliver (and are hard to cancel), it’s even harder.  According to the FTC, Benefytt Technologies, Inc. and its partners did just that — tricking people into believing they couldContinue reading “Is That Health Insurance, a Health Product, or a Scam?”

The use and consumer familiarity with QR codes present an opportunity for businesses to direct current or potential customers to their websites, mobile apps, digital marketplaces, or anything else available on the internet. Restaurants often use them to allow their diners to access a digital menu, preventing the spread of contagions and saving the businessContinue reading “Fraudulent QR Codes Continue to be Used in a Variety of Scams”

Immediately following weather-related disasters — like the devastating fires in California and the deadly flooding in Kentucky and surrounding states — scammers come out of the woodwork. As usual, they’re after your money and personal information. But in the aftermath of a disaster, people trying to get back on their feet become prime targets. (ReadContinue reading “Scammers Target Disaster Victims. Spot Their Traps”