NIAGARA network
Helping People Move Forward with Their Lives.
Don’t Get
Fooled by
Medicare
Scams
WARNING!
M
edicare beneficiaries
received an extra layer
of identity theft protection
when Social Security numbers
were removed from Medicare
cards back in 2018, but since
then, con artists haven’t
stopped trying to trick seniors
receiving Medicare into falling
for related scams.
1
GENETIC TESTING
CON
With the recent popularity of DNA
and genetic testing kits, fraudulent DNA
testing businesses are targeting Medicare
beneficiaries through phone calls, booths
at public events, health fairs and door-
to-door visits, offering free or no-cost
DNA testing. According to widespread
scam reports, consumers are told the test,
which can be done with a cheek swab,
can help detect cancer and a myriad of
diseases.
If a Medicare beneficiary agrees to the
test, he or she is then asked to share
Medicare information and to confirm
other personal details, which allows
the company doing the testing to file
insurance claims. In some cases, the
cheek-swab test is done in-person, other
times a testing kit is sent to your address,
and billed to Medicare, even if it was not
ordered by a physician or even medically
necessary.
LEGITIMATE DNA
TESTING
There are numerous companies
that offer DNA testing, for a fee. As
a consumer, you will need to initiate
services with a legitimate genetic testing
company in order to request testing.
An unsolicited offer for a free DNA test
should signal a red flag!
2
BACK AND KNEE
BRACE SCHEMES
You get a call saying you
qualify for a free back brace or a knee
brace – totally paid for by Medicare. The
phone number the supposed Medicare
representative calls from may even
appear to be from a familiar number (a
scam tactic called phone spoofing). They
repeatedly call until you relent and allow
them to submit an order to your doctor
for the equipment. Or you may say no, but
the company ships the brace anyway and
bills Medicare for the unnecessary brace.
Continued next page >
MILLCREEK
❘
SPRING 2020
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