Consumer Alert
Celebrate Disability Pride, avoid scams
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July is Disability Pride Month — a time to celebrate the proud identities, contributions, and culture of 40.8 million people with disabilities in the U.S. It’s when we recognize how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed on July 26, 1990, protects so many people from discrimination in countless ways every day. Let’s also make it about helping the people you care about avoid scams.
What we know from our Every Community work is that scammers target specific populations in strategic ways. This includes people of color, speakers of other languages, lower-income communities — and people with disabilities. We also know that people are less likely to lose money to a scam if they stop and tell someone they trust. This month, the FTC hopes you’ll start the conversation about how to avoid scams with someone you know.
Start by sharing How To Avoid A Scam, with fraud-fighting tips from the FTC. Find out about the latest scams by subscribing to FTC Consumer Alerts. If you or someone you know spots a scam, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and the FTC will give tailored advice on next steps, including specific info about how to try to recover your money.
Happy Disability Pride Month!
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The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. We review all comments before they are posted, and we won’t post comments that don’t comply with our commenting policy. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect.
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I’ve MS and need a walker for balance. Why is the world not handicapped friendly. Even doctor offices one cannot get in the door using a walker pushing it open keeping it open without a great struggle. I’ve become so aware of daily problems,forget seating at the Cubs ballgame I just want to go through a door.
Funny thing about the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Federal Government doesn't have to abide by it, only state and local entities. How is that for fair?
In reply to Funny thing about the… by Dale
The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has information about the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The EEOC website says:
"The ADA covers employers with 15 or more employees, including state and local governments. It also applies to employment agencies and to labor organizations. The ADA's nondiscrimination standards also apply to federal sector employees under section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended, and its implementing rules."
Beware of free Medicare power chair scams. If you participate unwittingly or on purpose you can be banned from Medicare for life. If it sounds to good to be true it probably is. There is no such thing as a free lunch.