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Your Fiasco Fixer
The News and Alerts category at Consumer Rescue exposes scams consumers may encounter. Each article tells the gripping story of individuals who have fallen victim to a scam and also includes tips and practical guidance to help others avoid falling victim.
Here, you’ll find stories about bewildered consumers who lost significant amounts of money to scams. From car rental gift card scams to phone scammers posing as customer service agents to Zelle scams and more. These articles are not just cautionary tales. These are detailed, real-life accounts highlighting the tactics used by scammers to make readers more aware and vigilant.
Verizon customers are being targeted by phone scammers pretending to be helpful agents of the wireless titan. The predators deliver troubling news to their unaware victims and then provide urgent solutions to “fix” the problem.
I know this firsthand because one of these crooks called my Verizon number and tried his scheme on me. As you can imagine, things didn’t go quite as this phone scammer had planned.
Scam call centers are having a moment on the internet, bizarrely appearing in the top search results for many of your consumer questions. Here’s what you need to know about spotting and avoiding these World Wide Web predators.
Have you received an unexpected bill from Medicare? Luckily, Consumer Rescue’s special features columnist is also a certified Medicare counselor. Today, he answers some questions posed by our readers.
Imagine needing a medical procedure only to find that your Medicare Advantage plan is denying coverage. Unfortunately, that’s not an imaginary scenario. In fact, it’s very real and happens millions of times a year for seniors in Medicare Advantage plans. The problem of unfair coverage denials is finally getting more national attention. But it’s too late for those who were wrongly denied care.
Zelle users, beware: Scammers are aiming their sights right at you. It’s true – the money transfer service has quickly become the preferred method of thieves everywhere looking for instant cash. In fact, I receive daily pleas for help from bewildered victims of these Zelle scams.
Here are seven of the latest Zelle scams that you should know about in 2024.
After Michael Foxhoven learned that Medicare covers shingles and Tdap vaccinations, he made appointments for both himself and his wife at their doctor’s office. Since they were due for a Covid booster, they figured they could also get that out of the way in the same visit.
But a few months after that appointment, Foxhoven got the sticker shock of his life. That’s when he received a $2,055 bill for the vaccinations that he thought Medicare would cover.
So why didn’t it?
The answer will probably surprise you.
Confusion remains high for the former customers of the bankrupt tour operator Vantage Deluxe World Travel. The legalese in each notification from the bankruptcy court invariably brings a new wave of bewilderment for those unsecured creditors. Unfortunately, that confusion has now reached a fever pitch.
Consumer Rescue had a bonanza of wins for Vantage Travel customers as we sprinted to this year’s finish line. Since early November, our advocacy team has retrieved nearly $100,000 for victims of the Vantage Travel bankruptcy.
Here’s some good consumer news to end 2023.
This Medicare beneficiary made a series of small mistakes that led to a late enrollment penalty. How could this have been avoided?
If I could show you how to save money on your Medicare prescription drug plan, would you be interested?
You have an opportunity to possibly do so during Medicare’s annual election period – better known as open enrollment.
Regardless of which name you use, this is the period between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7 when Medicare beneficiaries can elect to change prescription drug plans, change Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans, switch from original Medicare to Part C, and vice versa. Changes you make are effective Jan. 1.
Last week, I wrote about why and how to be a careful shopper when you’re looking at Medicare Advantage plans. I used an enticing offer I received as an example. Today, I’ll do the same about your prescription drug coverage.
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© 2025 Consumer Rescue / Michelle Couch-Friedman
