Health Care Insurance Scam
I talked to state Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland today about this story I did in December about an “insurance plan” that has left many Oklahomans high and dry. The company is called American Trade Association (And Healthcare America, Superior Healthcare, Smart Data Solutions and Real Benefits Association, among others).
The bottom line is, they are taking money from people on the plan and not paying on claims, Holland said. Some plan buyers say the company has paid on smaller claims like routine check ups, only to turn around and reject larger claims like emergency room visits.
Here is an advertisement for the plan:
Notice all of the Americana and emotional references in the ad? Here is an “informercial” about ATA as well.
Look for lots of documents and another story on ATA in The Oklahoman and on www.newsok.com this weekend.
And for those looking to buy insurance in the near future, the state Insurance Department encourages all consumers to call and confirm that any company or insurance agent offering insurance or insurance-like products is properly licensed to do business. Call the Oklahoma Insurance Department consumer hot line at (800) 522-0071 or visit www.oid.ok.gov.
Tulsa World/The Oklahoman Care Homes Project
Many respected orators and philosophers have said that the true test of a great civilization is how it treats its weakest members.
This truism was in the back of all of our minds when we started working with reporters at the Tulsa World to investigate the state of group homes in Oklahoma. But to know this; to publish a piece of journalism– It wasn’t an easy task.
First, there was learning the lingo: “Intermediate Care Facility for the Mentally Retarded,” and “Residential Care Facility” were terms I’d heard but wasn’t too familiar with what they meant. They are the two types of group homes we investigated in the project.
And we really did have a conversation about whether to use the word “retarded” like the state still does. I know this remains a touchy subject for many people. We made our decision to use “mentally disabled” based on Associated Press style guidelines. However, many newspapers continue to use the term “retarded.”
Also, it seemed like it took forever to get a grasp on things. The stacks of files on our desks and voluminous records on our computer hard drives were definitely daunting and time intensive. Sometimes it was frustrating (I’m speaking for myself here). But now we’re starting to see the light at the end of this long and cluttered library of reports and inspections.
From start to completion, the whole project took a little over six months. We literally got to a point when we were so focused on the little details that it was difficult to see the big picture. Was it significant enough to include that residents at some of these homes complained of not having toilet paper? Should we detail in our stories allegations that weren’t substantiated by inspectors but nonetheless raised eyebrows? Do we fault a home for having ants or dust bunnies under beds?
In the end, I think both newspapers settled on different things. What you read in the Tulsa World will be different than what you read in The Oklahoman, but only because there was so much information that the choices were difficult to make. None of the choices are better or worse, just different.
But make no mistake; this was a joint project–One that required the eyes, minds, patience and perseverance of about a dozen reporters and editors at newsrooms in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.
In the end, I’m sure I can speak for everyone when I say this is what investigative journalism is all about. Getting those records, scouring them and shining the light of day on things that otherwise might have been obscured.
The Oklahoman will publish the Oklahoma Group Homes project on Feb. 21 and 22 and online at www.newsok.com.
Is Your Daycare Making the Grade?
I’m researching for an upcoming story, and thought I wouldn’t wait to share this info.
The Oklahoma Department of Human Services keeps an online list of daycares and their inspection records. You can search by facility name, area or star rating and see how well the daycare is doing. The records note any complaints, annual inspection deficiencies and contact information for the director.
OfficeMax task chair recalled
OfficeMax Task Chair
A popular OfficeMax chair was voluntarily recalled today because it can break and injure people sitting in it.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission and OfficeMax recalled the OfficeMax Task Chair following 35 reports of the chair backs or posts breaking. This includes 15 reports lacerations, muscle strains, contusions and concussions.
OfficeMax estimated about 216,000 chairs were sold nationally and on their Web site. They were sold from Sept. 2003 through July 2008 for between $40 and $65.
Customers who purchased the chair are advised to return it for a full refund or gift card.
Consumer Alert: Recall on home blinds
The death of a 4-year-old girl trapped and strangled in a home window blind cord prompted the U.S. Consumer Protection Agency to recall the product Wednesday.
More than 32,000 window blinds made by the company Vertical Land of Panama Beach, Fla., are included in the recall because they are a strangulation risk to children.
The issue is with the cords on the vertical, cellular and horizontal window blinds. Children cen become entangled in them and strangle.
The blinds were sold at stores in Panama City and Pensacola, Fla.
For more information, read the CPSC’s recall notice.
Avoiding email scams
The Watchdog Team received a phone call today from a 71-year-old woman who wanted to make sure no one fell for a scam that nearly fooled her.
It was similar to the so-called Nigerian email scam, but it had a few extra steps and more emotional triggers.
The emailer claimed some foreign government had money waiting for her in an overseas account. The government, however, was informed she was dead by a person claiming to be a relative. The emailing “agency” was verifying this was really the case so they could disburse the funds to the appropriate person.
The amount of money was exhorbitant–$30 million. And the emailer made sure to tell her it was in U.S. currency.
She said something funny during the course of our conversation that caused me to chuckle:
Naturally, I couldn’t answer back if I were dead. But they knew that. They just wanted my information and probably, ultimately, some money from me to get the money from them.
Good thing she was savvy enough not to reply.
I’ve posted a lot on the blog about common online fraud schemes, but I also found a great source for email scams that everyone should read up on. Especially, like our citizen watchdog noted, if you are less experienced with email or know someone who needs to coaching on the subject.
Here is an excerpt from onguardonline.gov.
Some email users have lost money to bogus offers that arrived as spam in their in-box. Con artists are very cunning; they know how to make their claims seem legitimate. Some spam messages ask for your business, others invite you to a website with a detailed pitch. Either way, these tips can help you avoid spam scams:
- Protect your personal information. Share credit card or other personal information only when you’re buying from a company you know and trust.
- Know who you’re dealing with. Don’t do business with any company that won’t provide its name, street address, and telephone number.
- Take your time. Resist any urge to “act now” despite the offer and the terms. Once you turn over your money, you may never get it back.
- Read the small print. Get all promises in writing and review them carefully before you make a payment or sign a contract.
- Never pay for a “free” gift. Disregard any offer that asks you to pay for a gift or prize. If it’s free or a gift, you shouldn’t have to pay for it. Free means free.
Filter Tips: 10 Scams to Screen from Your Email
- The “Nigerian” Email Scam
- Phishing
- Work-at-Home Scams
- Weight Loss Claims
- Foreign Lotteries
- Cure-All Products
- Check Overpayment Scams
- Pay-in-Advance Credit Offers
- Debt Relief
- Investment Schemes
Use your iPhone to find sex offenders
Be your own watchdog.
A new iPhone application can help users locate registered sex offenders on the go.
The application is called Offender Locator and pulls from the sex offender registries of all 50 states to create a searchable cell phone database.
It’s as easy as inputting an address and searching away. Offender addresses are marked with a red flag.
Spending time at a family friend’s home in an unfamiliar area? Get the lay of the land with Offender Locator. Looking for a new home? Know who your neighbors are before you even get back to the house and have time to do a Google search. Need a conversation starter at a neighbor’s backyard barbecue? Offender Locator has you covered.
The uses are endless, even if they aren’t all practical. Read a Chicago Tribune story here.
The Trib article even delves into the question of whether or not the application is actually helpful at reducing or preventing these kinds of crimes.
What do you think about Offender Locator?
Dental amalgam fillings not dangerous
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Tuesday announced the mercury used for tooth fillings is not a significant health risk.
So don’t rip them out.
The FDA says the amount of mercury contained in the fillings isn’t enough to cause harm. Nonetheless, they’ve classified them as a moderate-risk device which requires specific controls and labeling. So now when you buy a mercury-containing filling it’s required to have:
- A warning against the use of dental amalgam in patients with mercury allergy;
- A warning that dental professionals use adequate ventilation when handling dental amalgam;
- A statement discussing the scientific evidence on the benefits and risk of dental amalgam, including the risks of inhaled mercury vapor. The statement will help dentists and patients make informed decisions about the use of dental amalgam.
Read more about fillings here.
Also, the FDA cracked a joke today. It told consumers to not buy supplements that claim to contain steroids or marketed as having “steroid-like substances.”
Just in case you’ve been hiding out in a hole and thought it was ok, the FDA is now telling you it’s not. Again. Not even in supplements.
In all seriousness, there have been companies marketing sauce-like supplements and the agency has apparently sent out a warning letter telling them to quit.
The products listed in the Warning Letter to American Cellular Laboratories Inc., include “TREN-Xtreme,” “MASS Xtreme,” “ESTRO Xtreme,” “AH-89-Xtreme,” “HMG Xtreme,” “MMA-3 Xtreme,” “VNS-9 Xtreme,” and “TT-40-Xtreme,” and are sold on the Internet and in some stores. These products, which claim to contain steroid-like ingredients but in fact contain synthetic steroid substances, are unapproved new drugs because they are not generally recognized as safe and effective. In addition, the products are misbranded because the label is misleading and does not provide adequate directions for use.
Craigslist apartment/home rent scam
It’s easy armchair browsing, harmless window shopping for houses or apartments for rent.
But you never know who is on the other side of a Craigslist listing. Case in point:
I was perusing home sales and postings on Craigslist this week. I found a cute little house in Oklahoma City for a very reasonable price. The listing included pictures, descriptions of the home and nearly everything but an address. I contacted the listing poster and encountered yet another Craigslist scam.
I’ll outline the scam, just in case you don’t want to read the email exchanges.
- The scammer finds an old Craigslist posting with real information or scours the internet for a rental listing on another site.
- The scammer posts a detailed listing on Craigslist.
- When you contact the person who posted the listing on Craigslist, someone emails you back pretending to be the person whose name was listed with the rental in the past.
- The scammer gives you a way-too-detailed account of how he is in another country and wants to entrust his home to you.
- He asks you to fill out an easy application (of course, you’ll be approved.)
- Then, the shyster asks you to send a rental deposit. Via Western Union, of course.
I know most people would never send a person in another country money for a home they’ve never seen, but certainly there are people falling for this.
Here is the email exchange. (It is kind of funny, and I enjoyed stringing them along.)
Rick Marfil [mailto:rickmarfil@ymail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 2009 12:34 PM
To:Vallery Brown
Subject: Re: $800 / 3br – 3BR/2BA Single Family House For Rent (Oklahoma City, OK)
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— On Tue, 7/14/09, Vallery Brown wrote:
From: Vallery Brown
Subject: RE: $800 / 3br – 3BR/2BA Single Family House For Rent (Oklahoma City, OK)
To: “Rick Marfil” <rickmarfil@ymail.com>
Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2009, 8:14 PM
Rick,
I am very anxious to get this process started…….. Could you please email me back with what you need to get this started? Also, can I mail the application form and whatever else you need?
Thank you.
From:Rick Marfil [mailto:rickmarfil@ymail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 2009 4:14 PM
To:Vallery Brown
Subject: RE: $800 / 3br – 3BR/2BA Single Family House For Rent (Oklahoma City, OK)
IF YOU ARE REALLY INTERESTED I WILL WANT YOU TO FILL THE
RENT APPLICATION FORM.
From:Rick Marfil [mailto:rickmarfil@ymail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 2009 6:59 PM
To:Vallery Brown
Subject: APPLICATION ACCEPTED….CALL ME ASAP
Thanks for getting back to me with the Rent Application Form. I just wanted to let you know that we have decided to let you live in our house. As we have found your application very satisfactory and acceptable by my family. So we would want you to go through this email and get back to us on what you feel so we could proceed in renting the house to you.We would like to send the following documents and keys to you via FedExto the address you sent to us and the tracking number will be sent to you so that you can possibly occupy our house, Please once again, we are giving you this on trust and do not dissapoint us and i promise you that, you will love the house so we are with the below document and keys here with us.. You will need to make Payment for the first ($800) to enable shippment of the Keys and document to the address you have to provide to us, afterwhich you could move in at your convenience. The rent starts counting when you move in, so you could go ahead with the payment straight away to make things faster….Here are the contents of the document that needs to be sent.after the deposit of ($500) i will have to send you the laese agrrement form so that you can sign for prove and send back to me asap.
1) Entrance and the rooms Keys
2) Paper/Permanent house form
3) The house documetary file.
4) Full Description of the house
5) Payment Receipt
All i need now is for you to make the deposit of ($500) so that the keys and documents can be send to the address you send to me in your rent applications form, so get back to me asap.so next time you will be getting back to is on how you will be making the payment via western union
i will be looking forward to your reply.
Thanks And God Bless You.
From:Rick Marfil [mailto:rickmarfil@ymail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 2009 7:10 PM
To:Vallery Brown
Subject: WESTERN UNION INFORMATION GET BACK TO ME ASAP
Below is the information on how you are to make the payment to my shipping agent from the shipping company..
Attn;Vallery Brown
Thanks for your response…All you need to do now is to send the month which is $500 which is the Month to the underlisted informations of my shipping agent which is from my shipping agent company so you are to send the money through Western Union in order for him to be able to send the keys and other documents to you via FedEx…Please i want you to note that i am taking this bold step of sending you the keys based on trust and i really hope you wont let me down…. i am just coming back from the FEDEX company and i told them everthing they said no problem that as soon as the payment is comfirm that they are going to send the keys the next day…
below is his information from FEDEX
RECEIVER’S NAME:RICHARD LEWIS
ADDRESS: 142 VICTORIA ISLAND RD
STATE: EDO
COUNTRY: NIGERIA
CITY;BENIN
ZIP CODE: 23401
TEST QUESTION: WHO MADE YOU ?
ANSWER: GOD..
AMOUNT SENT : $500
ALSO GET BACK TO ME WHEN PAYMENT IS BEEN MADE WITH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATIONS
SENDERS NAME……………..?
SENDERS ADDRESS………………………?
AMOUNT……….$500
MTCN#………………………………..?
TEST QUESTION…………..AS INSTRUSTED ABOVE
ANSWER…………………….AS INSTRUCTED ABOVE
as soon as you have maked the payment today Kindly get back to me with the 10 digits MTCN (money transfer control number) given to you at Western Union after you have made the payment today,and also the Sender’s full name and address so that he can immediately arrange for the delivery of keys to you through FedEx next day delivery…..I will instruct you on how to make the monthly rent payment to me after you have moved in,and concerning the utilities,that will be taken care of by me every month so you need not to worry about that because the rent paid already covers that……Have a very wonderful day and your prompt response is awaited…….
Remain Blessed,
Thanks And God Bless You.
— On Wed, 7/15/09, Vallery Brown wrote:
From: Vallery Brown
Subject: RE: WESTERN UNION INFORMATION GET BACK TO ME ASAP
To: “Rick Marfil” <rickmarfil@ymail.com>
Date: Wednesday, July 15, 2009, 12:15 AM
Ok. I will do that tonight or tomorrow and get back to you.
If I have any problem while I am there, is there a way I can have them call you from Western Union?
From:Rick Marfil [mailto:rickmarfil@ymail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 2009 7:33 PM
To:Vallery Brown
Subject: RE: WESTERN UNION INFORMATION GET BACK TO ME ASAP
|
Hello Vallery
Thanks for the swift response,i will advice you to do the transaction tonight as you have said so that you are going to get the keys and documents of the house first thing tommorrow morning by 8.00am your time over there..i am so happy you say such a thing i will like you to get back to me with how many people that will be living in my home with you when getting back to me with the western union information and also you are to call me with those numbers listed in the application form when you have any problem in my home…i will be waiting to read from you as soon as possible…
like i said in my last email you that anytime you have any problem in the house that you should call on those number in the application form and i will tell you what to do next,i don”t have anybody in the area i and my family are both here together so you have nothing to worry about…i know you are very excited about you renting the house from me but i will like you to take good care of it when you move in…do get back to me with the western union details when you make the payment today….
Thanks And God Bless You..
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Safe online shopping
A military veteran called the Watchdog Team today and left us with a valuable piece of advice.
He’d gone to the Army and Air Force Exchange Service Web site and purchased several watches and pendants to give out as gifts to his family. He said the descriptions of the items were convincing and the seller compared everything to costly, well-known products.
Of course, when he received the items, they were anything but. he said he paid a fair price, but didn’t get what he thought he was purchasing.
Save your money, if you want to buy something look at it first,” he said.
But he brings up another good point–just because a well-known and trusted source like AAFES hosts an auction doesn’t necessarily mean the seller is on the up and up.
Know what you’re buying, from whom you are buying, use good judgement and know how the system you’re bidding on works. If necessary, buy shipping insurance and look into other buyer protection programs.
For more information about shopping online safely go here.
For more auction tips, go to this Web site.
