Scam Alert

Ask Joan - Weekly Q and A Column | General | General Ideas and Support | Healthy Aging | Medicare Resources | Scam Alert

Ask Joan: Don’t be fooled by AI-assisted Medicare scams
ByVeronica Reed October 28, 2025October 28, 2025

Q. I’ve heard scammers are using new technology like AI to trick people with Medicare. What should I watch out for during open enrollment? A. You’re right to be on alert during Medicare Open Enrollment. Scammers are more active during this time and increasingly, they’re using AI. The Massachusetts Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Program reports…

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Ask Joan - Weekly Q and A Column | Scam Alert

Ask Joan: Real ID Deadline Creates Opportunities for Scammers
ByVeronica Reed June 24, 2025August 6, 2025

Q. My husband and I got our REAL IDs years ago when it was first announced that we will need them to fly on a plane. But recently, I received an email saying that my REAL ID was canceled and that I needed to go online and fix the error. I told my husband about…

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Ask Joan - Weekly Q and A Column | Scam Alert

Ask Joan: It’s OK to Raise a Concern About Questionable Medicare Billings
ByVeronica Reed June 4, 2025August 6, 2025

Q. My husband has Parkinson’s and has been seeing a physical therapist. We have grown to really like this young man, and the PT is helping my husband with his symptoms. But when we got our last Medicare statement, it looked like he has been billing for days when he wasn’t here. What do you…

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Ask Joan - Weekly Q and A Column | Healthy Aging | Resources | Scam Alert

Ask Joan: Beware of phone calls about Medicare, free services
BySusan Geier July 17, 2023July 17, 2023

Q. I cannot tell you how many phone calls (on my landline and cell phone) I get from scammers about Medicare, free services, etc. My friends and I try to let each other know when we hear about a new scam, but it seems like it is never-ending. What can older adults do? A. You are not…

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Caring for Someone with Alzheimer’s or Dementia | General | Grandparents / Kinship Caregivers as Parents | Long Distance Caregiving | New to Caregiving | Scam Alert | Self Care for the Caregiver

Beware of fraudulent offers for COVID-19 testing
Byjgirodat March 30, 2020

Beware of fraudulent offers for COVID-19 testing from door-to-door, grocery store, telephone and mail order offerings— It is probably a scam! Lawrence, MA: The Massachusetts Senior Medicare Patrol (MA SMP) Program warns the public to be wary of anyone other than a treating physician who is offering you coronavirus testing. Be particularly suspicious of anyone offering…

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