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The New York StateWide Senior Action Council identified Medicare Prescription Drug Cap Scams as its January fraud alert, warning seniors about schemes exploiting the new $2,000 annual out-of-pocket prescription drug limit that began January 1, 2025. Common tactics include unsolicited calls requesting personal information, demands for upfront "processing fees" to access benefits, and claims that beneficiaries need additional cards or documentation. The council advises seniors to never share personal information with unsolicited callers, verify Medicare statements, and report suspected fraud to the NYS Medicare Fraud Helpline at 800-333-4374.

Lincare Inc., an oxygen equipment provider, overbilled Washington state's Medicaid program more than 15,000 times between January 2017 and March 2023 by charging rental fees beyond the legally allowed three-year period, in some cases billing for up to six years. The fraudulent billing affected 565 Washington patients and resulted in over $500,000 in overbilling, for which Lincare paid the state $1.15 million in restitution. The company has agreed to implement billing reforms and retain independent experts to ensure compliance with Washington's oxygen leasing laws.

A Slidell, Louisiana chiropractor, Dennis Michael Peyroux, pled guilty in January 2025 to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud after billing Medicare approximately $3.3 million (reimbursed $3.2 million) for over-the-counter COVID-19 test kits that were not requested or eligible for reimbursement. The scheme involved purchasing Medicare beneficiary information and fabricated recordings, misusing a former nurse practitioner's credentials as the referring provider, and billing for thousands of false claims over a six-month period starting in November 2022. Peyroux agreed to pay $3.2 million in restitution, with over $

This article compiles multiple elder fraud alerts and prevention tips: A Wyoming resident received an extortion email falsely claiming malware access (a common scare tactic), while another fell victim to a phishing email impersonating Microsoft to steal account credentials. The Identity Theft Resource Center predicts cybercrime will surge in 2025 due to reduced government resources and increased AI exploitation, while identity fraud cost Americans $43 billion in 2023—with veterans particularly vulnerable, losing $477 million that year to service-focused scams. Key prevention measures include verifying sender identities, avoiding suspicious attachments and links, using strong passwords with multi-factor authentication, and monitoring credit reports regularly.

The Senior LinkAge Line will host a virtual presentation on February 12, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to address health care fraud, waste, and abuse prevention for seniors. The educational event aims to help older adults recognize and prevent fraudulent health care schemes.

Cristine Petitfrere, a 30-year-old from Miramar, Florida, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for conspiring to launder over $2.7 million stolen from romance scam victims. She helped funnel money from these schemes to international criminals and kept $203,815.59 for herself, which she was ordered to forfeit as part of her sentence. Romance scams—where fraudsters create fake online personas to deceive victims into sending money—disproportionately affect vulnerable populations including the elderly who lose savings and retirement funds.

Bridget C. O'Brien was sentenced to 2 years in prison plus 3 years probation and ordered to pay $1,273,794.95 in restitution for defrauding the federal Small Business Administration of approximately $2.9 million between March 2020 and January 2021. O'Brien submitted twenty-three fraudulent loan applications containing material misrepresentations and used the funds for personal expenses including a $1.9 million luxury home purchase, dining, travel, clothing, and her child's tuition and volleyball lessons. The Arizona Attorney General's office prosecuted the case as part of efforts to hold fraudsters accountable and protect taxpayer interests.

**Summary:** United States Attorney Nikolas Kerest announced his resignation effective January 20, 2025, after serving as U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont since December 2021. During his tenure, Kerest's office prioritized violent crime prosecution, civil rights enforcement, and elder financial fraud prevention, including successful prosecutions of elder fraud perpetrators Nicholas Melanson and Nasir Hussain, and educational outreach events in partnership with federal agencies to help Vermont's elder community avoid fraud victimization.

Law enforcement agencies in New Jersey and Pennsylvania are alerting residents to five prevalent scams: Medicaid/Medicare impersonation scams where fraudsters pose as government workers to extract personal information; "brushing" scams involving unsolicited packages with malicious QR codes that compromise phone data; fake law enforcement calls claiming arrest warrants or missed jury duty to extort bond payments; and romance scams where criminals build trust through fake online identities to manipulate victims into sending money. Residents are advised to never provide financial or personal information over the phone, avoid scanning unknown QR codes, and verify contact legitimately through official channels.

The Northern Wake Senior Center in Wake Forest, North Carolina will host a viewing party on January 15, 2025, for an interactive webinar titled "Scam Jam & Medicare Fraud Patrol" led by state Senior Medicare Patrol Program Coordinator Stephanie Bias. The webinar aims to educate seniors on protecting themselves from Medicare fraud, being good stewards of their benefits, and understanding the growing annual losses from such scams. Registration is required by January 10 for remote participants, with the Zoom link to be sent on January 13.

Rebecca C. Lutzko announced her resignation as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, effective January 3, 2025, with First Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik assuming the role. During her tenure leading approximately 175 prosecutors and staff, Lutzko's office oversaw prosecutions involving violent crime, organized gang activity, financial crime, public corruption, drug trafficking, child exploitation, and cybercrime, while also recovering tens of millions of dollars in healthcare fraud and civil cases across Ohio's 40 northern counties.

Americans lost a record $10 billion to fraud in 2023, with impostor scams and email impersonations being increasingly common threats to individuals and organizations like Rotary clubs. Scammers are leveraging artificial intelligence tools and multiple communication channels (text, email, social media) to impersonate trusted contacts and request money, making fraud harder to detect and investigate. To protect yourself and your network, verify suspicious requests through alternative contact methods, report fraud promptly, and share alerts with your community, as most fraud goes unpunished and victims rarely recover their money.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio forfeited $7.7 million in criminal assets during fiscal year 2024, with over $50 million in additional assets pending forfeiture orders from 214 cases involving cash, cryptocurrency, vehicles, real estate, and jewelry. In FY24, $11.1 million of forfeited funds were returned to crime victims as restitution, and $10.5 million was shared with 83 local law enforcement agency partners who assisted federal investigations. Asset forfeiture serves as a tool to punish criminals, deter criminal activity, and compensate victims harmed by fraud and other crimes.

The Senior LinkAge Line is offering a free virtual educational presentation on January 8 covering health care fraud, waste, and abuse prevention, with instruction on detecting and reporting scams that increasingly target older adults. The presentation, delivered via Microsoft Teams in partnership with the Senior Medicare Patrol, requires pre-registration through Eventbrite or by calling 800-333-2433, and accommodations are available upon request.

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This is an informational resource page from the Michigan Department of Attorney General detailing senior protection services. The Health Care Fraud Division investigates fraudulent activity by health care providers in the Medicaid program, including misappropriation of patient trust funds and identity theft in care facilities, while the Elder Abuse Task Force works to prevent financial exploitation of nursing home residents. The page provides contact information for multiple state agencies and resources available to report fraud and abuse or seek assistance.

A Cumberland County couple was targeted by a scammer posing as a Medicare employee who obtained both victims' Social Security numbers through a phone call to the 66-year-old woman in December. The Pennsylvania State Police are investigating the identity theft case and advise the public to verify callers' identities before sharing personal information.

Multiple senior citizens across Alabama counties received Medicare scam calls from fraudsters claiming to offer discounts on prescriptions and insurance payments while requesting Social Security numbers and bank account information to "verify." The scammers, who possessed some personal information like addresses and phone numbers, were unable to answer when victims asked them to recite the sensitive data they claimed to have, indicating the calls were part of a widespread fraud scheme targeting seniors.

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced that Metropolitan Commercial Bank will pay $10 million to the state as part of a fraud recovery initiative that has collected over $52 million from financial institutions that accepted stolen COVID-19 pandemic unemployment funds. Criminals stole more than $15 million from Washington's unemployment fund in 2020 using fake identities and MovoCash, a fintech company sponsored by Metropolitan, which failed to implement adequate anti-fraud and money-laundering safeguards. This marks the second phase of Ferguson's investigation—the first to pursue fintech companies through state consumer protection laws—following an initial phase that recovered $42 million from 26 financial institutions through asset forfeiture.

A Jamestown, Tennessee pharmacist, Philip Hall, was indicted on nine counts of health care fraud and six counts of aggravated identity theft for submitting false claims totaling over $6 million to Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and Blue Cross Blue Shield between 2018 and May 2024. Hall submitted claims for medically unnecessary prescriptions, drugs that were never dispensed, or medications not ordered by physicians, while also using other people's identities without authorization to obtain reimbursement. If convicted, he faces up to ten years in federal prison per health care fraud count and the government is seeking a money judgment of approximately $6.5 million in fraud proceeds

The FTC warned of a new scam targeting elderly people in which fraudsters pose as legitimate services, offering free perks like cooking or cleaning in exchange for Medicare information, then fraudulently enroll victims in expensive hospice care without proper medical justification. The scammers contact victims through calls, texts, emails, flyers, advertisements, and door-to-door visits, potentially leading to devastating financial consequences, disrupted Medicare coverage, and identity theft. The FTC emphasizes that Medicare never initiates home visits for service enrollment and advises elderly people to verify any coverage questions directly with healthcare professionals.

During the holiday season, scammers are targeting seniors with fraudulent Facebook advertisements for "senior grocery cards" supposedly containing $3,400, often falsely claiming connection to Medicare or government programs. The Better Business Bureau confirms these are scams, noting that Medicare does not issue food allowance cards and legitimate programs do not distribute open prepaid cards with loaded money. Seniors are urged to be cautious of such offers, as they may be used to steal personal information or facilitate identity theft.

Seniors lose an estimated $3 billion annually to scams, with fraud spiking during the holiday season through fake e-commerce websites, phishing emails, charity scams, and delivery fraud. The article identifies warning signs for each scam type—such as suspicious URLs, urgent messaging, pushy callers requesting gift card donations, and unsolicited delivery notifications—and recommends protective measures including verifying websites and charities, avoiding clicking links in unsolicited messages, and monitoring financial accounts regularly. Additional safeguards include educating seniors about scams, using strong passwords with two-factor authentication, and leveraging caller ID blocking features.

Attorney General Jason Miyares announced charges against 18 individuals in connection with elder abuse and neglect at Colonial Heights Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Virginia, initiated after a complaint and subsequent patient death in October 2024. As of December 18, 2024, five individuals were arrested and warrants were issued for 13 others, with charges including seven felony counts and two misdemeanor counts of abuse and neglect of vulnerable adults, two counts of obstruction, and 27 counts of falsifying patient records. The investigation involved the Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Colonial Heights Police Department, and Virginia Department of Health.

Scammers are targeting older adults by offering free in-home services like cooking and cleaning in exchange for Medicare numbers, then fraudulently enrolling them in hospice care to bill Medicare. Hospice care is a specialized service for terminally ill patients (certified by doctors only), and unauthorized enrollment can negatively impact future Medicare coverage. To protect yourself, never share your Medicare number for "free" services, refuse to enroll in hospice for gifts or money, and report suspicious activity to 1-800-MEDICARE.

The New York StateWide Senior Action Council identified Durable Medical Equipment (DME) fraud as its December fraud alert, warning seniors about scammers offering unsolicited calls or ads for free or low-cost braces and other unnecessary medical equipment to steal Medicare information and submit fraudulent claims. The organization advises seniors to guard their Medicare numbers like credit card numbers, avoid responding to unsolicited offers, ensure a doctor has personally assessed their condition before receiving equipment, and report suspicious activity to the NYS Senior Medicare Patrol at 800-333-4374.

Durable Medical Equipment (DME) fraud, identified as December's Medicare fraud concern by the New York StateWide Senior Action Council, involves scammers making unsolicited calls to Medicare beneficiaries offering free or discounted braces and other unnecessary medical equipment to fraudulently bill Medicare. Seniors are advised to guard their Medicare numbers, avoid responding to unsolicited offers, ensure a doctor has personally assessed their condition before obtaining equipment, and report suspicious charges to the NYS Senior Medicare Patrol at 800-333-4374, as such fraud costs taxpayers an estimated $60 billion nationally per year.

A Florida real estate agent, Jason Valiant, was arrested for allegedly defrauding an elderly Ormond Beach couple of $1.6 million in properties and depleted bank accounts by forging power of attorney and healthcare surrogate documents while they were hospitalized. Valiant used the fraudulent authority to transfer the couple's home and two other properties to himself, drain their accounts, and use their credit cards for personal expenses; authorities also allege he signed a Do Not Resuscitate order for one victim, resulting in their removal from life support. Valiant faces charges including organized scheme to defraud, exploitation of an elderly adult, and identity theft.

**Summary:** Stephanie Mobley, owner of ComfortZone Home Health Care in Pennsylvania, her daughter Naya Campbell, and 18 others were charged in a $12 million Medicaid fraud scheme that operated from 2020 to 2023. The defendants allegedly filed false reimbursement claims for services never provided, diverting millions in funds intended for vulnerable Medicaid recipients. All 20 defendants face charges including Medicaid fraud, theft by deception, and conspiracy, with the case uncovered following a two-year investigation by the Pennsylvania Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, FBI, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Scammers are targeting older adults by offering free in-home services like cooking and cleaning in exchange for their Medicare numbers, then fraudulently enrolling them in hospice care to bill Medicare. Only a doctor can certify hospice eligibility for terminally ill patients with a life expectancy of six months or less, and improper enrollment can negatively affect future Medicare coverage. To protect yourself, never share your Medicare number for free services, never agree to hospice enrollment for gifts or perks, and remember that Medicare representatives will not visit your home to sign you up for services.

Four caregivers in New Mexico were criminally charged with elder and resident abuse within a year after multiple complaints were filed with the state Department of Justice's Medicaid Fraud and Elder Abuse Division. The cases involved physical and verbal abuse of vulnerable victims—including a 7-year-old autistic student, disabled waiver recipients, and elderly nursing home residents—who lacked the capacity to report the abuse themselves; notably, Salomon Sanchez, who pleaded guilty to abusing a student in 2023, was subsequently hired at a disability group home where he allegedly assaulted a wheelchair-bound resident. All four defendants face potential sentences of up to 6 months in prison if convicte

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson is warning small businesses of scam letters impersonating the Secretary of State's Office that demand excessive payments (over $200) for business filings while threatening fines or business dissolution; similar telephone scams targeting Latino businesses have also been reported, with at least 40 complaints received since early November. The fraudulent letters, which include the state seal and publicly available business information to appear legitimate, contain telltale signs of fraud such as Sacramento, California addresses and .org website links instead of official .gov sites. Business owners are advised to verify filing status directly with the Secretary of State and to report suspected scams to the Attorney General's Office.

Senator Marsha Blackburn warned during a Senate hearing that seniors are increasingly targeted by AI-enabled fraud and scams, with criminals using sophisticated tools like personalized phishing emails and chatbots to deceive consumers at scale. The FTC reported that scams cost Americans $10 billion over the last 12 months, with AI driving much of this increase. Blackburn called for Congress to pass legislation establishing online privacy standards and stronger protections for consumers in the digital space.

This article profiles The Senior Source's Elder Financial Safety Center in Dallas, which helps Medicare beneficiaries navigate the complex enrollment process and avoid scams. The center serves up to 6,000 people annually, offering Medicare counseling, insurance guidance, and technology classes; since 2014, it has helped Dallas County residents avoid $65 million in scams. Medicare fraud costs the U.S. $60-90 billion yearly, and the confusion surrounding enrollment choices makes seniors vulnerable to scams, particularly via text messages, making professional guidance essential for informed decisions.

I cannot provide a summary of this content because the text provided appears to be only a website navigation menu and header structure from a local news station (KFYR-TV), not the actual article content about Medicare enrollment scams. To summarize the article for the Elderus database, please provide the full body text of the "ND Today - Medicare Enrollment Scams" article that is referenced in the title dated November 29, 2024.

A 35-year-old Oakland man, Zhongqiang Chen, was arrested on November 14 after scamming an elderly Stanislaus County woman out of $30,000 through a fake McAfee antivirus email that gave him remote access to her computer. Chen transferred $60,000 from her money market account, convinced her she owed him that amount, and collected an initial $30,000 payment before being arrested in an undercover operation when he arrived to collect the remaining $30,000. The case remains under investigation to determine if there are additional victims.

This opinion piece examines the escalating problem of elder fraud in the digital age, highlighting how seniors are disproportionately targeted by scammers who exploit their trusting nature, financial assets, and technological vulnerabilities. The 2023 FBI report revealed that seniors aged 60 and older lost over $3.4 billion to fraud, with individuals losing an average of $33,915, while data breaches exposing personal information make them prime targets for sophisticated, personalized attacks. The article emphasizes that common scams include tech support fraud, romance scams, and emergency/grandparent scams, and stresses the urgent need for awareness and protective measures given seniors' limited ability to recover

**Summary:** Beth Bland from VPAS and Shawn Smith from Senior Medicare Patrol discussed scams targeting elderly individuals on the "Issues in Aging" episode. The conversation focused on identifying and preventing Medicare-related fraud and abuse affecting seniors. No specific scam details or dollar amounts were provided in this episode announcement.

This opinion piece discusses the vulnerability of elderly adults to digital scams and fraud, particularly in the Caribbean context. The author highlights that seniors aged 60 and older lost over US$3.4 billion to scams in 2023 according to FBI data, with the average victim losing US$33,915, and notes that older adults are targeted due to their trusting nature, substantial savings, technological inexperience, and emotional vulnerabilities exploited through tactics like grandparent scams and romance fraud. The article emphasizes that data breaches exposing personal information increase seniors' risk, and that most cannot recover financially from these losses due to their inability to re-enter the workforce.

A 79-year-old Massachusetts woman, Dinora Cardoso, died in 2023 after being found bedridden on a mattress infested with cockroaches, bedbugs, and feces; she required surgical removal from the mattress and died two days later from necrotizing fasciitis and sepsis. Her daughter Eva Fontes Cardoso, granddaughter Kayla Cardoso, and caregiver Lisa Hamilton face charges including manslaughter, elder neglect, larceny, and Medicaid fraud, having allegedly collected over $140,000 from MassHealth while providing no care, failing to manage her diabetes, and submitting frau

A 79-year-old Massachusetts woman, Dinora Cardoso, died after being found stuck to a mattress infested with cockroaches, bedbugs, and feces due to severe neglect by her daughter Eva Fontes Cardoso, granddaughter Kayla Cardoso, and nurse Lisa Hamilton, who had to surgically separate her from the bed at a hospital where she died two days later from necrotizing fasciitis and sepsis. The three defendants face charges including manslaughter, elder caregiver neglect, and Medicaid fraud after authorities discovered that Eva Cardoso received over $140,000 in state benefits for care she did not provide, including frau

During Medicare's Open Enrollment Period (October 15–December 7), scammers impersonate Medicare representatives to steal personal information and money by falsely claiming they need Medicare numbers, Social Security numbers, or bank account details for new cards or fake medical equipment claims. Medicare never unexpectedly contacts beneficiaries to request personal information, sell coverage, or charge for cards, and consumers should hang up suspicious calls and verify by calling 1-800-MEDICARE or report scams to that same number.

As Medicare's December 7 enrollment deadline approaches, scammers pose as Medicare officials or insurance company employees via phone calls and text messages to trick older adults into disclosing Social Security numbers and sensitive information. Experts advise that legitimate Medicare programs and private insurers rarely contact beneficiaries by phone unsolicited, and recommend hanging up on suspicious callers, avoiding robocalls, and contacting insurers directly through official toll-free numbers to verify requests. Caregivers should help elderly relatives enroll early to avoid deadline pressure, which makes people more vulnerable to scams.

A Massachusetts daughter (Eva Fontes Cardoso, 53), granddaughter (Kayla Cardoso, 31), and registered nurse (Lisa Hamilton, 64) face charges of manslaughter, caregiver neglect, larceny, and Medicaid fraud in the death of 79-year-old Dinora Cardoso, who was found in May 2023 stuck to a feces and insect-infested mattress at a senior housing complex. The defendants allegedly billed MassHealth over $140,000 for personal care services that were not provided or were provided fraudulently, and the victim died two days after hospitalization from sepsis

An elderly Massachusetts woman, Dinora Cardoso, died in May 2023 from severe infections caused by neglect while under the care of her daughter Eva Cardoso, granddaughter Kayla Cardoso, and registered nurse Lisa Hamilton; she was hospitalized covered in insects and feces before succumbing to necrotizing fasciitis and sepsis. Eva, employed as Dinora's paid caregiver, received over $140,000 from MassHealth while allegedly failing to provide proper care and falsely billing for services, with Kayla also receiving portions of these fraudulent payments. All three defendants were charged with neglect and fraud-related offenses; Eva additionally

During Medicare's open enrollment period, the Federal Trade Commission warned of scams where fraudsters impersonate Medicare representatives to obtain personal information like Medicare or bank account numbers, or to file fraudulent claims for medical equipment. Consumers are advised never to share information with unexpected callers, as scammers can spoof caller IDs to appear as Medicare, and should instead contact 1-800-MEDICARE to report suspected fraud or obtain legitimate services through official government websites.

During Medicare's open enrollment period, the FTC warned that scammers impersonate Medicare representatives to solicit personal information like Medicare or bank account numbers, or to file fraudulent claims for medical equipment. The agency advised Americans never to provide information to unsolicited callers, even if caller ID appears to show Medicare's number, and directed fraud victims to call 1-800-MEDICARE. Last year saw 447 healthcare fraud cases in the U.S. with a median loss of $1.4 million per offense.

A 79-year-old Massachusetts woman, Dinora Cardoso, died in 2023 after months of severe neglect in filthy, bug-infested conditions while under the care of her daughter Eva Cardoso, who was paid over $140,000 by MassHealth as her personal care attendant. Eva Cardoso and her niece Kayla Cardoso are charged with elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and larceny for allegedly splitting the Medicaid checks while the victim suffered from untreated bedsores, infections, and poor living conditions; Eva also faces involuntary manslaughter charges, and a visiting nurse is charged with caretaker

A 79-year-old Brockton woman, Dinora F. Cardoso, died in May 2023 after three years of alleged neglect by her daughter Eva Cardoso (53), granddaughter Kayla Cardoso (31), and visiting nurse Lisa Hamilton (64), resulting in a flesh-eating bacterial infection, uncontrolled diabetes, and unsanitary living conditions infested with cockroaches and bedbugs. Eva Cardoso was charged with involuntary manslaughter and Medicaid fraud for being paid as a personal care attendant; Kayla Cardoso was charged with permitting injury and neglect of an elderly

During Medicare's open enrollment period (through Dec. 7), the Federal Trade Commission warns of scammers impersonating Medicare representatives to steal personal information and money by requesting Medicare numbers, bank account details, or credit card information under false pretenses such as issuing new cards or processing fake medical equipment claims. Seniors should never share personal information with unsolicited callers claiming to be from Medicare, verify suspicious calls by hanging up and dialing Medicare's official number (1-800-633-4227), and treat Medicare numbers with the same protection as credit cards.