Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday issued a warning for a scam involving equipment being mailed to Medicare patients.

Durable medical equipment, such as oxygen tanks and wheelchairs, that are not prescribed or ordered have been sent by scammers to patients so the scammers can bill the patient or Medicare, Sunday said Wednesday, Sept. 24.

“We are seeing a growing number of instances where senior patients are receiving equipment so that scammers can collect a payout from the patient or the state Medicare program,” Sunday said. “Any and all attempts to defraud the Medicare program negatively impact those who rely on the program for their livelihood and well-being.”

To prevent these scams, Sunday said Medicare patients should check their claims regularly for suspicious activity, report any unsolicited medical items received by mail, not accept services over the phone, keep personal information safe and verify bills are legitimate before paying.

Pennsylvanians who believe that they may be a victim of a Medicare scam can report the scam to Medicare by calling 1-800-633-4227.