Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday is warning seniors and their families about a trending Medicare scam in which durable medical equipment — that was not prescribed or ordered — is sent to patients, so the scammers can then bill the patient or Medicare.

Durable medical equipment includes oxygen equipment and wheelchairs prescribed or ordered for patients by a health care professional.

”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.”

Sunday and the Office of Attorney General’s health care section offer Pennsylvania seniors on Medicare the following tips.

• Check your Medicare claims regularly. You can receive Medicare statements by mail or online. Review your statements regularly and report any suspicious claims to Medicare.

• Report unsolicited medical items received through the mail. If you receive a package in the mail containing a medical device that you did not request, you can make a report to Medicare and alert the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General by filing a complaint with our health care section.

• Pause before you pay. If you receive a bill in the mail from a provider you do not recognize or for equipment you did not discuss with your doctor, take steps to verify the bill is legitimate before paying. Your doctor’s office can verify the legitimacy of any bills. You have no obligation to pay for false or fraudulent bills.

• Keep your personal information safe. Never give personal information, such as your birthday, home address, Social Security number or Medicare ID number, to unknown callers over the phone.

• Do not accept offers for services over the phone. During the fall season, you may receive more phone solicitations related to open enrollment offers. Never give any personal information or make any changes to your Medicare enrollment plan over the phone, even if the caller insists they are from the government or if they say there is an issue with your Medicare enrollment. You can always call Medicare directly to verify your enrollment.

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

If consumers receive unwanted medical devices in the mail or have questions about the validity of a bill they receive, they can also contact the Office of Attorney General’s health care section at 877-888-4877 or by filing a complaint online.