Beware callers posing as health professionals
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Bogus callers are posing as GP surgery staff to con
vulnerable people out of cash.
NHS
Eastern and Coastal Kent says several patients have
been phoned by someone pretending to be from a local GP
surgery.
In some cases, they've even asked for credit card details.
The Primary Care Trust says health professionals would never ask
for financial information over the phone.
The caller gives the impression they are from an official NHS
source and asks about the patient’s medication.
In some cases they have then claimed the patient would benefit
from Pomegranate tablets and asked for credit card details.
One woman in her 80s thought she was talking to a GP surgery and
gave her details and later found £179.50 deducted from her
account.
When her son tried to trace the call back it came from a company
based in India.
NHS Eastern and Coastal Kent’s assistant director of medicines
management Alison Issott said: "No NHS health professional would
ever ask for a patient’s credit card details over the phone.
"We would urge anyone who is suspicious of the calls not to give
out personal details and to contact police."
Friday, March 19 2010
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