DAVAO CITY – The Philippine National Police (PNP) has warned the public against a new text scam targeting the relatives of hospitalized patients, urging them to remain vigilant to avoid falling victim to fraudulent hospital bill schemes.
According to the Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG), at least 19 cases of this scam have been recorded, as reported in a press briefing at Camp Crame by PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo.
Fajardo explained that scammers pose as hospital staff, contacting relatives via text messages and updating them about their loved one’s hospital bill. The scam unfolds in the following manner:
The scammers claim to be hospital staff and send updates on the patient’s hospital bill.
They request payment via e-wallet or bank transfer, offering a discount to make the deal more appealing.
Once the payment is made, the scammers disappear, and the victims realize they have been deceived when they attempt to follow up with the hospital.
The PNP-ACG is investigating whether hospital insiders may provide patient and relative information to scammers.
“Isa ‘yan sa talagang kailangan imbestigahan—how come they obtained the contact details of the relatives of confined patients? They know exactly who to contact,” Fajardo said.
“These details are not easily accessible. Normally, only hospital staff have access to such information. Without blaming anyone, we know criminals always find ways to exploit vulnerabilities,” she added.
Fajardo strongly advised the public to only make payments directly to the hospital billing department and to verify all billing-related concerns with the hospital administration before making any transactions.
The PNP-ACG is actively tracking the perpetrators and preventing further incidents. The public is encouraged to immediately report suspicious messages or scam attempts to authorities.
Concerns or reports regarding cyber scams can be reached through the PNP-ACG hotline or social media channels.
