Phoebe issues scam warning
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From staff reports
ALBANY — Phoebe Putney Health System officials have become aware of an unusual scam targeting patients.
At least two patients have received letters in the mail, purportedly from a physician in the Phoebe Cancer Center, informing them of a supposed need to immediately prescribe an expensive medication. While the letter does not specifically request payment, it does include a Gmail email address. That is likely an attempt to elicit a response which potentially could lead to a request for money or an attempt to transmit a computer virus via email.
“We have investigated and determined that our medical records have not been compromised and there has not been any inappropriate access to the protected health information of the patients we know received the letters,” Jonathan McGuire, the health system’s interim chief compliance and privacy officer, said in a news release. “Both individuals have been Phoebe patients, but neither has ever been treated at the Phoebe Cancer Center. It is reasonable to assume that con artists are randomly targeting potential victims and that other patients may receive similar letters.”
Phoebe officials encouraged patients to be on the lookout for the fraudulent letters. Anyone who receives such a letter should not respond to it and may inform the Phoebe Compliance Department by calling (229) 312-6735.
It is important to know that Phoebe clinicians would never inform patients about urgent changes to their medications or care plans via mail and would not communicate through email using an address that is not an official Phoebe email account.
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