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Meghan Markle's first outing with the queen pays tribute to Princess Diana
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FILE - In this Monday, Sept. 25, 2017 file photo, Britain's Prince Harry and his girlfriend Meghan Markle attend the wheelchair tennis competition during the Invictus Games in Toronto. Palace officials announced Monday Nov. 27, 2017, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are engaged, and will marry in the spring. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP, File) - photo by Herb Scribner
Meghan Markle paid tribute to Princess Diana with a few quick fashion choices.

As Time reported, Markle made her first public appearance with the Queen of England on Monday for Commonwealth Day. She and her fiance, Prince Harry, spent time with other family members, including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, for an interfaith prayer service.

Markle wore a special beret designed by Stephen Jones, who was one of Princess Dianas favorite designers.

Princess Diana, mother of both Harry and William, died in 1997 in a car accident.

Fans noticed the beret connection and posted about it on Twitter.

Markles engagement ring also contains two diamonds that used to belong to Diana as well, AOL.com reported.

In fact, British etiquette expert Grant Harrold, known as "The Royal Butler, told E! News that Markle models her etiquette after Diana.

He described Markle recently embracing a young school girl, as really, really sweet but noted that it was not something the queen would likely do.

"It's something younger people do," Harrold said. "She's got her own way of doing things. You look at the energy of Princess Diana and she was very much somebody that would hug people. She was famous for it, wasn't she?"

However, Harrold expects Markle will step away from the spotlight once she and Prince Harry tie the knot on May 19.

"She has to be careful what she says, how she says it, and how it's taken because after May 19, it will be very much the reflection of the royal family, he said. It's everyday things from the way she walks, the way she speaks, the things she does, how she eats, how she holds her cup, how she dresses everything will be looked at the right way or the wrong way. There will be a lot for her to adapt to."
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New Medicare cards are in the mail and scammers are on the prowl
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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has begun mailing new Medicare Health Insurance ID cards. The program no longer uses Social Security numbers to identify people. - photo by Lois M Collins
The federal government is beginning to send out new ID cards to the 58 million Americans who benefit from Medicare. But since many of the people who will receive them don't know they're coming or why, scammers are already gearing up to take advantage.

An AARP survey shows as many as three-fourths of Americans 65 and older have no idea the cards are coming, so some individuals may be duped with claims that they're supposed to pay a fee or provide personal information that will be used, instead, to defraud them.

The new cards are the first reissue in years, and the most striking part of the redesign is that the cards no longer carry the beneficiary's Social Security number. Congress mandated the removal of that number as an identifier for Medicare beneficiaries by next April. Instead, the card has a Medicare Beneficiary Identifier number, an 11-digit combination of numbers and letters.

The new Medicare cards are now being mailed out in batches, starting with the Eastern seaboard and moving west. Most Medicare beneficiaries will receive their cards over the next six months, as long as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has their correct mailing address. Once the cards are in hand, people can share the new identification number with their health care providers. During a transition period, either card is valid.

The old cards, which used Social Security numbers as the personal identification number, should be destroyed.

AARP recently launched an education campaign to warn consumers about scams related to the new Medicare cards.

The membership organization's "Fraud Watch" consultant, Frank Abagnale reformed con man, scammer and the subject of the movie and book "Catch Me If You Can" tells senior citizens the only time they need to carry the actual Medicare card is to health care appointments. Otherwise, it should be left in a safe place. If they want to carry one in their wallet or purse, he says, make a copy and black out the first seven numbers.

Since the cards were announced, scammers have already:

  • Called seniors and asked for their bank account information so that money on their old card could be returned. There is no money on the old card and CMS never asks for personal information over the phone.
  • Offered to send the new card after Medicare beneficiaries pay a $25 fee to cover expenses related to the card. The card is free.
  • Said the card will be mailed out as soon as the older person verifies his or her Social Security number, mailing address and other personal information. CMS already knows the beneficiary's Social Security number and it's no longer being used in conjunction with health care.
AARP and the Federal Trade Commission will hold a free online seminar about the cards and the fraud attempts they have spawned on Thursday, April 19, at 7 p.m. EDT. Register at: www.aarp.org/FraudWebinar. CMS also offers a "frequently asked questions" guide to the new cards.

The AARP Fraud Watch Network says consumers can sign up for its Watchdog Alert emails that deliver breaking scam information, or call a free helpline at 877-908-3360 to speak with volunteers trained in fraud counseling. Abagnale also hosts a weekly podcast for AARP, called The Perfect Scam.
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