St. Louis Circuit Attorney, Jennifer Joyce

Part D’s coverage gap- sometimes referred to as the “doughnut hole”- will receive a one-time $250 rebate check. This “doughnut hole” occurs when an individual recipient’s total medication costs reach $2,830 as calculated from the beginning of 2010. Every Medicare recipient naturally reaches this number at a different time. When medication costs reach $2,830, a recipient’s Part D plan notifies Medicare to cut him or her a check for $250.00.
Many criminals capitalize on this standard process by attempting to steal  individuals’ checks through a range of scams.

To avoid becoming a victim, remember:

1. You do not have to do anything to qualify for this rebate check.
2. The check will be mailed by regular mail to your address.
3. You will get the check when you arrive in the “Doughnut Hole.” If you know you have  reached the coverage gap but haven’t received your check contact Medicare at 1-800-633-4227.
4. If you have recently moved or are about to move contact Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to ensure your correct address is on file.
5. The $250 rebate check is not taxable. It is a free gift, and does not add to the amount you must spend to get out of the coverage gap.

Do not believe anyone who says your must supply your bank account, Medicare, or Social Security number to receive a check and do not pay anyone a fee or a tax. Anyone who demands this information is attempting to scam you.

Fraud Assistance Hotline: (314) 612-1412
Office Phone: (314) 622-4941
Fax: (314) 622-3369
www.circuitattorney.org

SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center has issued a warning to St. Louis residents of a fraudulent “book fundraiser.” Criminals posing as door-to-door salespeople have recently approached residents of Clayton, Ladue, Florissant and South County. These con artists claim to represent Cardinal Glennon and maintain that all proceeds from books sold fund the medical treatment of autistic children, even emphasizing that the money reaches the children more quickly if the homeowner pays for the books in cash.

As Cardinal Glennon spokesperson Fran Wulfers told authorities, the hospital never conducts door-to-door fundraising activities nor does it ever ask explicitly for cash donations. Even more troubling, victims of this scam who request receipts report that the documents are issued by a Phoenix, Arizona company called Prestige Sales.

In order to avoid this and similar scams, remember the following:
1. Never open your door to a stranger.
2. Be wary of charities or service people asking for cash. This could be a ploy to determine you keep cash in the home, and could result in a home invasion robbery.
3. Before donating, always check the validity of a charity by calling the Better Business Bureau (314-645-3300) or the Missouri Attorney General (800-392-8222) “Check a Charity” programs.

Fraud Assistance Hotline: (314) 612-1412
Office Phone: (314) 622-4941
Fax: (314) 622-3369
www.circuitattorney.org

AARP Bulletin Today reports that fraudulent home deeds can give criminals the keys to your castle.

St. Louis Circuit Attorney, Jennifer Joyce

When Teresa Bidwell, a Philadelphia area businesswoman, hired contractors to make minor renovations, she made the shocking discovery that her rental row house had been stolen. A “new owner” who believed he had purchased the home legitimately had in fact already hired workmen to completely refurbish the property. A criminal investigation revealed Bidwell’s carefully forged signature on documents approving the sale of her home.

Houses can be stolen surprisingly easily by criminals who search public records to locate vacant properties, targeting those with a mortgage that has been fully paid off. Bidwell reported to AARP that when she arrived at her local deed recorder’s office, she observed over 20 people researching properties. When Bidwell informed the clerk that her home had been stolen, she maintains that the 20 people “scattered like cockroaches.”

Armed with their researched property records, thieves are able to purchase property transfer forms from any office supply store where they forge a “seller’s” signature. Most recorders do not require any form of identity verification, which makes this theft astonishingly simple. Sometimes a stolen home is sold for cash but often it is used as collateral to obtain a larger loan. As lenders prefer to lend money on homes with no mortgage, the elderly who have no mortgages are most often targeted. William Sherman, a reporter for The New York Daily News, even used this devious criminal technique to purchase the Empire State Building by simply downloading the existing deed and transferring it to a phony company using paperwork purchased at Staples!

To avoid falling victim to this scam, remember the following:
1. At least twice yearly, check your property listings with your local deed recorder. In many
communities, this can be done online.
2. If you receive a payment book or other information about a loan that is not yours, open it
immediately and follow up with the company that sent the information.
3. Before purchasing a home, check the property records. If a recent property transfer has occurred,
investigate to determine who is the correct owner.

Fraud Assistance Hotline: (314) 612-1412
Office Phone: (314) 622-4941
Fax: (314) 622-3369
www.circuitattorney.org

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently warned the public about a scam reported in multiple American cities that preys on the citizens’ fear of being arrested for missing jury duty.

In this “jury duty intimidation scam,” a false jury duty coordinator contacts the victim via telephone and claims that he or she has missed a scheduled jury duty date. Furthermore, the caller maintains that a warrant will be issued for the his or her arrest. When the victim protests that a summons for jury duty was never received, the “coordinator” demands his or her full name, date of birth, and Social Security number in order to verify the victim’s identity and cancel the warrant. If such personal information is provided, the victim’s identity is stolen.

St. Louis Circuit Attorney, Jennifer Joyce

The FBI reports that this scam is particularly insidious because the caller attempts to capitalize on
the court’s authority to intimidate innocent citizens. In order to avoid this scam, remember the following guidelines:

1. Never provide information to anyone who calls you, no matter whom they claim to be or even what information your caller ID provides. Caller ID can be electronically “spoofed.”

2. No government agency or legitimate financial institution will ever request personal information via telephone or e-mail. Any attempt to do so is a scam, and you should immediately hang up the telephone or delete the e-mail.

For more information contact:

Fraud Assistance Hotline: (314) 612-1412
Office Phone: (314) 622-4941
Fax: (314) 622-3369
www.circuitattorney.org

The Circuit Attorney’s Office has been informed by several South St. Louis residents of two ongoing local scams. The first involves con artists knocking on residents’ doors and falsely informing the homeowner that he or she has been cited by the City for failure to maintain the property by allowing their grass to grow too long. These criminals assert that they have been assigned to immediately mow the lawn and that the homeowner must pay for the service on the spot.

St. Louis Circuit Attorney, Jennifer Joyce

One Gravois Park resident who reported this scam also received a telephone call from a woman who claimed to represent the City. The caller claimed that the resident’s property taxes were overdue and even attempted to obtain a credit card number in order to “pay the balance directly” over the telephone.

Both scams provide new twists on a conventional form of fraud: criminals attempt to use the authority of legitimate government agencies to appear authentic as they defraud honest citizens.

In order to protect yourself from these and similar frauds, remember the following:

1. Do not open your door to strangers- no matter who they claim to be. Ask for photo identification and call the agency the individual claims to represent before speaking to a stranger at your door.

2. If your home needs any kind of repair, you should receive a citation from a building inspector that describes the work to be done and provides a date for you to appear in City Court. You will never be asked to immediately pay a specific party for a repair.

3. No government agency will contact you by telephone or e-mail and ask for immediate payment of a debt, or any personal identifying information. Never provide personal information to any person who contacts you, no matter who they claim to be.

4. If you receive any such demand for payment or someone comes to your door and claims that you must immediately repair your home, call 911.

Fraud Assistance Hotline: (314) 612-1412
Office Phone: (314) 622-4941
Fax: (314) 622-3369
www.circuitattorney.org