Help COVID-19 contact tracers, not scammers

June 25, 2020 by Shameka L. Walker Attorney, Division of Consumer & Business Education, FTC Contact tracing call? 5 things to know after nearly three months of stay-at-home orders, America is starting to open up again. Contact tracers, the folks who work for state health departments to try to track anyone who may have been exposed to COVID-19, are an …

12 Tips from Top Feds to Avoid Fraud During the Pandemic

A dozen federal officials offer advice to outsmart coronavirus scammers by Katherine Skiba, AARP, June 17, 2020 | Comments: 0 Twelve top scam fighters from the federal government participated in AARP’s “Slam the Scam: Coronavirus Edition” webinar. Here is a selection of tips from the fraud experts. Register for free to watch the full webinar. “Some bad actors are trying …

Running Essential Errands

Grocery Shopping, Take-Out, Banking, Getting Gas, and Doctor Visits What you need to know • Stay home if sick. • Use online services when available. • Wear a cloth face covering when running errands. • Use social distancing (stay at least 6 feet away from others). • Use hand sanitizer after leaving stores. • Wash your hands with soap and …

LGBT Older People & COVID-19

Addressing Higher Risk, Social Isolation, and Discrimination Issue Brief – May 2020 MAP movement advancement project SAGE Advocacy & Services for LGBT Elders “We refuse to be invisible” Center for American Progress There are more than 2.7 million LGBT people who are 50 years or older living across the country.¹ The current COVID-19 health crisis threatens their health, safety, and …

Georgia Woman Arrested for Role in Scheme to Defraud Health Care Benefit Programs Related to Cancer Genetic Testing and COVID-19 Testing

A Georgia woman was arrested today for her alleged role in a conspiracy to defraud Medicare, a federally funded health care benefit program, by submitting false and fraudulent claims for cancer genetic (CGX) testing, as well as her role in conspiring to submit fraudulent claims related to COVID-19 and other tests. Ashley Hoobler Parris, aka Ashley Hoobler and Ashley Parris, …

Covid-19 Medicare Scams on Rise Against Seniors

From New York Alliance Against Insurance Fraud: ALBANY, N.Y. – Seniors are being widely pitched with COVID-19 insurance scams trying to defraud their Medicare accounts and steal their identities, warns the New York Alliance Against Insurance Fraud. Fraudsters are offering “free” testing kits, vaccines and supplies – promising Medicare will pay. Medicare and other scams are rapidly rising against America’s …

Medicare is Updating Coverage to Help in the Coronavirus Crisis

Medicare Is Updating Coverage to Help in the Coronavirus Crisis With its beneficiaries among the most at risk for Covid-19, the agency is relaxing some rules. By Mark Miller, SMP.gov Published March 24, 2020Updated March 26, 2020 Older Americans are at a high risk for serious illness from the coronavirus, and most who are over age 65 are covered by …

Scams – Coronavirus treatments

FTC & FDA: Warnings sent to sellers of scam Coronavirus treatments March 9, 2020 by Colleen Tressler Consumer Education Specialist, FTC Be on the lookout for scammers taking advantage of fears surrounding the Coronavirus. Today, we have an update. The FTC and FDA have jointly issued warning letters to seven sellers of unapproved and misbranded products, claiming they can treat …