Category Archives: Uncategorized

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”

In the wake of natural disasters or other traumatic events around the world, the first reaction of many good citizens is to say, “How can I help?” You may be thinking the same thing about the massive earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria in recent days, killing at least 20,000 people and injuring tens ofContinue reading “7 Tips for Avoiding Fraud When Donating to Charities”

Ikechukwu Udeokor, owner of Meik Medical Equipment and Supply, and manager Ayodeji Fasonu were convicted for engaging in a scheme to defraud Medicare Advantage and Medicaid managed care plans of over $3.8 million. They billed for hundreds of expensive patient support systems that were never provided to patients or caregivers. These support systems included largeContinue reading “Medical Equipment Suppliers Convicted”