Southern California health officials are warning residents about a scam in which callers pose as hospital representatives and demand immediate payment from patients or their loved ones.
The Ventura County Health Care Agency said Friday that it has received reports of scammers contacting families and falsely claiming payment is needed for medical services, patient transfers or other health care-related expenses. Officials said the calls appear designed to create urgency during an already stressful time.
“We take reports of fraudulent activity targeting patients and families very seriously,” Danielle Gabele, CEO of Ventura County Medical Center and Santa Paula Hospital, said in a statement…