The latest scam: DNA Testing

A new Medicare scam involves “free” DNA swab tests as health screenings, according to an ALERT issued by the Virginia AARP.

You may visit a booth at a health fair or receive a flyer in the mail offering an incentive for signing up for a DNA sample.

Before agreeing to have your mouth swabbed, AARP warns that genetic tests must be ordered by your doctor and must be medically necessary to be covered by Medicare.

Scammers are using” free DNA tests” to steal your insurance information and sensitive medical information.

Additionally, some scammers might sell your DNA information to third party companies AND you will still owe the costs since they aren’t covered by your insurance plan.

People should be aware of the risks of agreeing to tests not ordered by your doctors. To be safe, speak to your doctor and insurance provider before agreeing to “no-cost” tests and lengthy medical history assessments.

Visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at http://www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetworkor call AARP Fraud Watch Helpline at 1-877-908-3360 and speak to a volunteer who has been specially trained in spotting scams. If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam, an AARP news release said.

AARP has more than 1 million members in Virginia and is the largest organization working on behalf of people age 50+ and their families in the Commonwealth.

To learn more about AARP Virginia, like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/aarpvirginia and follow @AARPVa on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aarpva.