Illinois SMP Program Fraud Alerts

 

The Illinois SMP Program sends email Fraud Alerts every Friday. These alerts contain fraud-related news articles, information about current scams in Illinois or other parts of the United States, and useful healthcare or fraud-related resources. If you would like to be added to the Illinois SMP Fraud Alert email list, please contact:

Erin Weir, Healthcare Consumer Protection Coordinator

Phone: (800)699-9043, (708)383-0258

TTY: (708)524-1653

Fax: (708)524-0870

erin.weir@ageoptions.org

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Illinois SMP Fraud Alert - February 26, 2010

Dear SMP readers,

Look to today’s Fraud in the News section for a summary of health reform proposals involving fraud, waste, and abuse prevention, as well as a link to the recording of an NPR Morning Edition story on Medicare fraud.

Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Erin Weir, MSW, LSW, Healthcare Consumer Protection Coordinator

AgeOptions

1048 Lake Street, Suite 300

Oak Park, IL 60301

phone (708)383-0258 fax (708)524-0870

erin.weir@ageoptions.org

ageoptions.org

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Please share this Fraud Alert with colleagues, consumers, or other professionals in your area. If you have any questions about the Illinois SMP program, or to receive these Fraud Alerts directly, please contact Erin Weir, Healthcare Consumer Protection Coordinator at AgeOptions.

What you will find in this week’s Fraud Alert

• Scam Fax Requests Assistance Obtaining Deceased Relative’s Estate
• Offer for Free Shoes Masks Common Medicare Scam
• TRICARE Encourages Beneficiaries to Report Fraud, Waste, and Abuse
• Fraud in the News

Scam Letter Requests Assistance Obtaining Deceased Man’s Estate

One of our SMP partner agencies recently received a faxed letter claiming to be from someone trying to obtain “fifteen million pound sterling” from a deceased client’s bank account “before it gets confiscated or declared unserviceable by the holding bank.” The author claims to be trying to find and contact a next of kin for the client to receive the estate, as the bank will confiscate the money if he doesn’t provide them with a next of kin within 14 days. The author then requests that the letter recipients allow him to list them as the next of kin, and he will split the money with them. He asks for a response within 10 days by email.

As many of you can probably already tell, this letter is a definite scam. This kind of scam is usually referred to as a “Phony Inheritance Scheme.” You can read more about this kind of scam on the U.S. Postal Inspection Service website: https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/investigations/ MailFraud/fraudschemes/othertypes/InheritanceFraud.aspx

Anyone who receives a letter like this should file a complaint with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The online form is here; you can also print it and mail it: https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/forms/MailFraudComplaint.aspx

Offer for Free Shoes Masks Common Medicare Scam

The California SMP followed up on their recent report regarding “free shoes” being given to residents of a nursing home (mentioned in a recent Fraud Alert) by writing an article to educate consumers about diabetic shoe scams. That article is available on their website here: http://www.cahealthadvocates.org/news/fraud/2010/offer.html

TRICARE Encourages Beneficiaries to Report Fraud, Waste, and Abuse

The TRICARE military health insurance program recently released a press release explaining how beneficiaries can report potential fraud, waste, and abuse in the TRICARE system. See the press release for more information: http://www.tricare.mil/Pressroom/News.aspx?fid=596

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Fraud In The News

The following are current news articles about health care and fraud issues.

1. “Seniors Ready to Battle Medicare Fraud” (an article about the Maine SMP program): "Seniors Ready to Battle Medicare Fraud"
   
   
2. “Policies to Crack Down on Fraud, Waste, and Abuse” (a summary of the various fraud prevention ideas included in health care reform bills and proposals): "Policies to Crack Down on Fraud, Waste, and Abuse"
   
   
3. “Rooting Out Fraud With Undercover Patients” (A brief Wall Street Journal blog article about an additional fraud prevention proposal): “Rooting Out Fraud With Undercover Patients”
   
   
4. “Miami Serves as a Model in Medicare Fraud Crackdown” (NPR Morning Edition story on Medicare Fraud):
   NPR Medicare Fraud Story
   
   
5. “California Man Sued in Barrington Body Swap Murder” (Suburban Chicago Daily Herald article regarding a murder case that may have involved identity theft, as well as a man recently convicted of Medicare fraud): "California Man Sued..."
   
   
6. “AARP Scam Alert: This Math Doesn’t Add Up” (this week’s Scam Alert article discusses a particularly silly mail fraud ‘contest’ scam):
   AARP Scam Alert

 

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Fraud Alerts contain information about current scams taking place in Illinois, announcements and updates about programs or services related to health care and/or fraud protection, and links to news articles about health care and fraud topics. Please forward any recommendations or announcements that you would like to be included in a future Fraud Alert to erin.weir@ageoptions.org.

AgeOptions, the Area Agency on Aging of Suburban Cook County, is committed to improving the quality of life and maintaining the dignity of older adults and those who care about them – through leadership and support, community partnerships, comprehensive services, accurate information and powerful advocacy.

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