NHF warns: beware of scammers claiming to be doctors

Fraudulent claims against the elderly recently occurred in two cities in the Świętokrzyskie province: in Starachowice and Kielce. In both cases, the scammers pretended to be health care workers, specifically doctors. On the phone, they talked about the illness of a loved one and asked to transfer money. A total of 75 thousand zlotys fell prey to the thieves.

The National Health Fund in Kielce points out that doctors or nurses never call patients' families and ask for money for care.

- Medications, examinations and treatments performed in public health care facilities are free of charge. Under no circumstances will employees of medical facilities or clinics visit patients' families at home to collect money, for example, for an expensive treatment supposedly saving a relative's life. It is also important to remember that no medical facility will demand cash over the phone. Even in the absence of insurance. Then the request for payment is usually fulfilled by sending an invoice individually to the address indicated in the patient's medical records. Invoices are also issued
with a payment deadline allowing to collect the funds needed to pay for the services," explains Agnieszka Białas-Sitarska, spokesperson for the Świętokrzyskie NFZ.

Police officials join the appeal. According to asp. Malgorzata Perkowska-Kiepas, press officer of the Kielce City Police Station, it is necessary to have limited behavior in such situations.

- If we receive a call from an unknown number, we can never be sure of the identity of our caller. If the matter concerns the transfer of any money or the transfer of data, we should hang up and verify the issue raised either with our relatives or with the institution referred to by the caller. Each time such attempts should be reported to the appropriate authorities," says asp. Malgorzata Perkowska-Kiepas.

Elaborated. based on NFZ press release