You get a call from a panicked grandchild or other family member. They say they're in a time-sensitive crisis—hospitalized after a car accident or jailed for example—and beg for immediate financial help.
A law passed in 2015 requires Medicare to remove Social Security numbers from Medicare cards. Beneficiaries will begin to receive their new cards in May, and the rollout will continue into 2019. This is a good move, since Social Security numbers are the key to identity theft, and having them displayed on Medicare cards has long presented a risk. Unfortunately, scammers have come up with ways to take advantage of this change.
Every two seconds in the US, someone's identity is stolen, resulting in tens of billions of dollars landing in the pockets of con artists and other unsavory criminals. AARP South Dakota is warning our members to be extra vigilant as tax season comes to a close. South Dakotans filed more than 3,200 consumer complaints of fraud and identity theft last year, 33% of which were employment or tax-related.
The main run of the 2018 South Dakota Legislative Session has ended but AARP South Dakota and our advocates continue to fight for and equip the 50+ in our state to live their best lives. Take a moment to review all of our work in South Dakota, and look forward to the year ahead.
A surge in television, radio and internet ads from law firms and lawsuit marketing companies is causing some patients to take serious risks. While “opt-in” notices are required for law firms bringing class action complaints, the rhetoric of these ads have frightened some patients into stopping critical life-saving medications without consulting a healthcare practitioner.