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Mom upset over note from fellow restaurant customers accusing baby of 'ruining' dinner
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Mom upset over note from fellow restaurant customers accusing baby of 'ruining' dinner. - photo by Jessica Ivins
BOISE, Idaho A restaurant manager gave an Idaho mother a free meal after two other customers delivered a scathing note to her table, accusing her baby of ruining their dinner.

Katie Leach was eating at a Texas Roadhouse in Nampa, Idaho, with her family when her 10-month-old son began making noise off and on. Her baby just happens to be in a yelling stage, she told KTVB News.

He will yell when I tell him no, when hes super excited and happy or just for no reason at all, Leach told KTVB.

Thats exactly what he was doing that evening, she said. Leach told KTVB she and her family made an effort to quiet him, but in the excitement of being in a restaurant around new people, he continued his squealing.

He was not yelling to be mean or because he was mad, it was purely from excitement and being happy, she said.

But not everyone in the restaurant appreciated her babys enthusiasm. About halfway through their dinner, Leach says, two women approached their table, slammed a piece of paper down and walked back to a table just behind theirs.

Leach was shocked when she read the content of the note.

Thank you for ruining our dinner with your screaming kid, it read. Sincerely, the table behind you.

When Leach approached the women to explain the situation that her son was just in a phase and that she was trying to teach him to use his inside voice they scoffed and insisted their grandchildren never behaved that way, she told KTVB.

Leach explained the situation to the restaurants manager, who told the women they could finish their dinner but that they needed to leave quietly without bothering Leach and her family again. He apologized to Leach for the incident, paid for her meal and insisted her family was welcome at the restaurant anytime, Leach said.

Leach said she would have understood the women better if her son was older, but insists they should have been more understanding since hes still just a baby.

This kind of controversy isnt new. This summer, a diner owner in Maine sparked a national debate when she screamed at a toddler who wouldnt quiet down at her establishment.
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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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