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  Geebo 8:00 am on March 29, 2024 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: debt collectors ( 9 ), medical bills, medical expenses ( 5 ), medical records, Scams ( 1,224 )   

  Old medical records could be in the hands of scammers 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Scammers are continually finding new ways to exploit personal information for financial gain. One particularly insidious tactic making headlines recently involves the manipulation of old medical records to trick unsuspecting victims into paying hefty sums of money they don’t actually owe.

  Take the case of a Chattanooga, Tennessee, woman, who found herself on the brink of becoming a victim to a cunning scam. A routine day was disrupted by a distressing call informing her of an outstanding hospital bill totaling a staggering $13,000 for a surgery she underwent back in 2016.

  The scenario painted by scammers is often convincing, utilizing personal details gleaned from defunct medical offices or harvested through data breaches at hospitals. Armed with this intimate knowledge, fraudsters employ scare tactics and coercion to pressure their targets into parting with their hard-earned money.

  Scammers leverage stolen information to establish credibility, creating a facade of legitimacy to dupe their victims. Once they have their foot in the door, they resort to aggressive bargaining tactics, dropping exorbitant figures and offering dubious settlement options in a bid to extract as much money as possible. In the recounted incident, the victim was informed that rather than settling the purported $13,000 debt, she could resolve the matter by paying a reduced sum of $6,600 promptly on the same day.

  Despite the initial panic induced by the alarming call, the victim remained composed and refrained from succumbing to the demands of the scammers.

  From the news report, it sounds like the scammers are posing as medical debt collectors. Armed with a victim’s medical history, they can make the scam even more intimidating than it already is. However, there is a way that people can protect themselves from this scam.

  It’s crucial never to capitulate to these callers’ demands for immediate payment. Instead, insist on receiving a debt verification letter outlining the purported origin of the debt. Legitimate debt collectors are obligated to furnish such documentation, whereas most scammers are unable to comply. Subsequently, you may want to contact the medical office referenced by the scammer to confirm the validity of any charges or debts. Their billing department should be able to provide clarification and verification.

   

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  Geebo 8:00 am on June 13, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: collection agency, debt collectors ( 9 ), health insurance ( 5 ), healthcare ( 35 ), medical bills, medical scams ( 21 ), Scams ( 1,224 )   

  Beware phony medical bills 

  

  By Greg Collier

  The Better Business Bureau has issued a warning stating people have been receiving phony medical bills in the mail. Scammers are hoping that recipients of the phony bills will be so panicked about it, they’ll make an immediate payment to the scammers. When someone demands an immediate payment in full for a medical bill, that may be a tip off that the bill is part of a scam.

  Whether it’s a medical practice or a medical collection agency, most facilities will be willing to work with you on paying the balance. The first thing you would want to do is research the charge itself. If you didn’t have a doctor or hospital visit on or around the date of service, the bill may be fraudulent. If you did have a visit around that time, contact the medical facility used and ask if this was a service they performed or requested.

  You can also check with your health insurance company to see if any bill from the questionable practice was submitted to them. This also a good reason to keep the explanation of benefits (EOBs) that your insurance company sends you after a claim is completed.

  Legitimate medical practices, facilities, and collection agencies will be more than willing to help set up some kind of payment plan if someone is unable to pay the full balance of their bill. Some practices will even offer a significant discount if you can pay the balance in one payment if it’s a substantial balance.

  If you’re unsure whether the bill is legitimate or not, ask the biller for a debt verification letter. If they refuse to provide this, they could be scammers, as only legitimate facilities will be able to provide this.

  Never give any financial or personal information to anyone claiming you have a medical bill balance without first verifying the charges. This includes your health insurance information. While most of these scammers are looking for a quick payday, others may be looking to commit insurance fraud with your insurance information.