CONSUMER ALERT: These medical supplies may show up at your door, even if you didn't purchase them

Our Consumer Protection Division has received complaints from people who were sent medical supplies, especially back and knee braces, that they never purchased, and then harassed by robocallers to pay for the supplies. These scammers having been operating throughout the country, and the federal government recently charged 24 individuals for scamming people out of more than $24 million. Here’s how this scam usually works and what to do if it happens to you.

Consumers will initially receive a telemarketing call that tells them their health insurance (usually Medicaid or Medicare) qualifies them to receive a free medical device. Most consumers decline this offer, but the device will be delivered to their address anyway. After consumers receive the device, scammers will either attempt to bill their health insurance for it or call the consumer multiple times asking for payment.

If this has happened to you or a loved one, don’t feel pressured to pay for something that you didn’t order. You don’t have to, and under state law you are allowed to keep the product you didn’t order without paying for it. Please report the scam to our office’s Consumer Protection Division at ncdoj.gov/complaint or 1-877-5-NO-SCAM. And while robocalls are frustrating, here’s more information on steps you can take to lower the number of spam calls you receive.