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Credit Card Fraud: Prevention and Cure

Prevention and Cure

All credit card users are potential victims of credit card fraud. A thief does not have to steal your credit card or rifle through your trash to get account numbers. Any time you use your credit card you are making your account number available to everyone who is involved in the transaction, from the sales clerk to the billing staff of the creditor.

Ten Ways To Help Protect Yourself From Credit Card Fraud

1. Never leave cards or receipts lying around.
2. Destroy all carbons and incorrect receipts.
3. Avoid signing blank receipts.
4. Keep a record of your card numbers, their expiration dates, and the phone numbers and addresses of each creditor, in a secure place.
5. Report any questionable charges to the card issuer promptly and in writing.
6. Never give your account numbers over the phone, unless you are initiating a transaction with a company you know is reputable.
7. Sign credit cards, in ink, as soon as they arrive.
8. Save receipts to compare with your billing statements.
9. Carry credit cards separate from your wallet.
10. Instruct everyone who is authorized to use your account to take the above precautions.

If Your Card Is Stolen

If your credit card or account numbers are stolen call the card issuer immediately. Some companies have a toll free phone number printed on their billing statements to use when reporting a stolen card. After you have reported your card missing to the card issuer follow up your call with a letter. Be sure to keep a copy of the letter you send for your records. The call and the letter should include:

• Your name;
• Your account number;
• The date you noticed your card missing; and
• The date you phoned the creditor to report your credit card missing.

If you report your credit card missing before it is used without authorization, you may not be responsible for any of the unauthorized charges. Pursuant to federal law, if your credit card is used without authorization before you report it missing, the most you will be liable to pay is fifty dollars.

If You Suspect Fraud

If you suspect someone has illegally used your account number you must contact the card issuer no later than 60 days after the first bill on which the charge appeared is sent. Follow a telephone call to the issuer with a letter. Be sure to retain a copy of the letter for your files.

Include the following information in your call and letter:

• Your name;
• Your account number;
• The dollar amount of the suspect charge;
• A description of the charge; and
• An explanation of why you believe there is an error.

While the disputed charge is being researched you are not required to pay any of the amount in question. However, you are obligated to pay the balance that is not in question.

The above was compiled from the The Consumer Protection Unit of Idaho.

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Medicare Fraud Tips

Below are a few tips on what you can do as a consumer of services paid for by Medicare. The more you can help to cut fraud, the stronger the Medicare program will be.

Provider Insurance Fraud

Provider Insurance Fraud is where Medicare is billed for services which are not delivered, or for services which are not necessary. Suggestions to help prevent fraud include:

• Patients should communicate more with their doctors and ask more questions.
• What is the purpose of the test or treatment?
• What should they expect during treatment?
• What information is the doctor trying to gather from the test?
• How will the outcome of the test change the course of treatment (tests are used as a tool to assess how to change treatment, so a flag should go up if tests are being run, but there are no changes in treatment; diagnostic procedures should give insight into ways to alter care for a better outcome).
• What will the test cost (the patient and the insurance company)?
• Who will be administering the test?
• Who owns the testing facility?

If tests are positive: Ask for the raw test data (example: MRI results) rather than just asking for summary of results. If you have the actual film, then you can seek a second opinion.

Consumer Flags

These are things which should alert you to potential fraud:

• Provider is soliciting services,
• Many diagnostic tests prescribed,
• Physician referring patient to an attorney (especially auto accident victims)
• Provider unwilling to discuss patient concerns or answer questions

The above was compiled by The Florida Department of Elder Affairs