Author Archives: virginiasmp

Dr. Sophie Toya was sentenced to four years in prison for a $6.3 million Medicare fraud scheme in which elderly and disabled patients were sent thousands of orthotic braces that they did not need. Court documents and trial evidence show that Toya prescribed as many as 136 braces in a day, 12 braces for aContinue reading “Doctor Sentenced for Fraud Scheme”

The birthday cards were the first clues I failed to pick up on. For years, my widower dad in North Carolina had sent me a generous birthday check that he enclosed in a flowery greeting card, always printed with a schmaltzy sentiment that he would never have expressed in person. (Read More)

No matter what the season, many homeowners are making the move to repair or replace their current roofs. Fall may be the best time to jump on a home improvement project like roof repair because of lower prices, available materials, and milder temperatures, but sometimes roof damage from a storm results in the need to fix the roof orContinue reading “Hire a trusted roofing contractor to repair, replace roof”

Health Wealth Safe Inc. and Dr. Subodh Agrawal have paid $1.29 million to settle allegations that they knowingly caused false claims to be presented to Medicare. The United States alleged that, at Agrawal’s direction, Health Wealth caused claims to be presented to Medicare for remote physiologic monitoring (RPM) services that were not reimbursable. RPM involvesContinue reading “Remote Patient Monitoring Company Settles Lawsuit”

American adults lost $47 billion to identity fraud and scams in 2024, an increase of $4 billion over 2023, according to a new report produced by Javelin Strategy & Research and cosponsored by AARP. Based on a survey of 5,023 U.S. adults, that total includes $27 billion lost to traditional identity fraud, which affected more people — 18 millionContinue reading “Identity Fraud and Scams Cost Americans $47 Billion in 2024”

Many students are still searching and applying for grants and scholarships to fund their college education. For students struggling to pay tuition, a sudden offer of a grant or scholarship can look like a dream come true. But it could be bait for a scam. Scholarship scammers trick victims with the promise of money, butContinue reading “Beware scholarship scams when searching for financial aid”

The United States has filed a civil complaint under the False Claims Act against Dr. Shayasta S. Mufti, alleging that she caused the submission of false claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary genetic laboratory tests. The United States alleges that Mufti had no medical relationship with the beneficiaries she referred for genetic testing, never examinedContinue reading “Feds File Complaint Against Doctor”

Having a lot of debt can be stressful at any age. But if you’re retired or about to live on a fixed income, paying off debt can sometimes be more challenging. As you explore your options, know that scammers might promise to take away your debt — for a fee. If you pay them beforeContinue reading “Spot scams while getting out of debt”