Shelley Polansky
According to the 2018 BBB Scam Tracker Risk Report, seniors are less likely to fall for scams overall, but there is one scam that’s aimed right at seniors: free medical equipment.
The scam works like this. You get a call saying you quality for a back brace or a knee brace, totally paid for by Medicare. The scammer may pretend to be from Medicare, or they may claim to be the maker of the durable medical equipment (DME). They say you qualify for free equipment, and 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. Other times the equipment just shows up on your doorstep and Medicare receives the bill. Often consumers have a difficult time returning the unnecessary equipment.
BBB offers these tips on how to protect yourself from this type of scam.
• Refuse and report anyone offering “free” equipment, supplies, or services in exchange for your Medicare number.
• Know that Medicare medical suppliers are not allowed to make unsolicited telephone calls or send e-mails to sell you equipment unless you’ve done business with them in the last 15 months.
• Never sign a blank form from your healthcare provider or equipment supplier.
• Always read your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) or Explanation of Benefits (EOB) to look for any charges for equipment you do not need or did not receive.
• Protect your Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security cards; keep them in a safe place (not your wallet), and only get them out when you are going to see a health care provider.
• Report scams to the Medicare fraud hotline: 800-633-4227 (800-MEDICARE)
Start with Trust For more tips and information, visit bbb.org.
~ Shelley Polansky, VP Communications, BBB Serving Northern Colorado and Wyoming.