Callers Offer ‘Free’ Medical Devices

In a medical equipment scam, someone reaches out to you offering a brace, a wheelchair, diabetes test strips, or other devices for “free” (as in, “Medicare will pay for it”). You might get an unsolicited phone call, see an advertisement, or be approached at a health fair or similar event. If you accept an offer of medical equipment, you could be responsible for up to 20% of the Medicare-approved cost of the item. Medical equipment scams may steal your identity; send you bad equipment, like a flimsy, low-cost brace; send you items you didn’t request; and charge Medicare in your name. Read more about these scams in a story from AARP.

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