By the time the scammers posing as law enforcement called Judith Boivin’s cellphone, they had researched their target well. They knew she’d worked as a registered nurse and a clinical social worker before becoming a licensed therapist. They knew she had worked in Belize to help children with HIV and had lived for three yearsContinue reading “AARP’s ‘Fraud Wars’ Episode 1: Judith Boivin Had $600,000 Stolen in an FBI Impostor Scam “
Author Archives: virginiasmp
Nurse Convicted of Fraud Scheme
Nurse practitioner Scharmaine Lawson Baker was convicted for her role in an over $12.1 million health care fraud scheme to defraud Medicare by ordering medically unnecessary cancer genetic tests for hundreds of patients she never met or examined. She falsely diagnosed patients to justify the unnecessary tests, such as diagnosing male patients with cervical cancer.Continue reading “Nurse Convicted of Fraud Scheme”
Before you donate, find out where the money is going
Would you donate to a cause if the fundraiser lied about how the money would be spent? Probably not. But that’s what the FTC says Kars-R-Us.com, Inc. (“Kars”) did when it collected vehicle donations on behalf of a supposed breast cancer charity. (Read More)
CVS Omnicare Ordered to Pay $949 Million
A federal judge has ordered CVS Omnicare to pay $949 million. Allegations say that Omnicare dispensed drugs not supported by valid prescriptions to individuals in 3,000 long-term residential facilities and charged Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE for those drugs. Prescriptions were automatically assigned new prescription numbers, refills were automatically authorized, and prescriptions were periodically refilled inContinue reading “CVS Omnicare Ordered to Pay $949 Million”
How to help protect foster youth from identity theft
Identity theft can happen to anyone, including kids in foster care. But minors typically don’t have credit reports, so they might not even realize they’ve experienced identity theft until they apply for a job, housing, or credit. Because foster youth often move more often and more people have access to their info, they’re at greaterContinue reading “How to help protect foster youth from identity theft “
17-Year-Old Named ‘Kid of the Year’ for Work Protecting Older Adults From Cybercrime
After Tejasvi Manoj, 17, learned that an online scammer had almost stolen $2,000 from her 85-year-old grandfather last year, the Texas high school student decided she wanted to do something to help other older adults navigate the internet safely. So she developed an app that helps users detect scams. (Read More)
Two Arrested for Hospice Scheme
Normita Sierra and Rowena Elegado were arrested on an indictment alleging a $4.8 million hospice services scheme to defraud Medicare. According to the indictment, Sierra owned and operated Golden Meadows Hospice Inc. and D’Alexandria Hospice Inc., which billed Medicare for hospice services for patients who were not terminally ill. Under pressure from Sierra, who madeContinue reading “Two Arrested for Hospice Scheme”
Scammers claim to be HR reps with job offers
BBB Scam Tracker continues to receive multiple reports of job scams involving fake job offers from supposed HR reps from different companies. What you’ll learn: Read More
Thinking about selling your timeshare? Key steps to avoid scams
Summer is over and you could be thinking about selling your timeshare. Maybe you turn on the radio, check your feed, or get a call and find what sounds like an easy way to sell your timeshare. But is it? Or is it a scam? (Read More)
New Law Limits Barrage of Scams and Deceptive Offers Targeting Homebuyers
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”
The Virginia SMP 