According to Region Västerbotten, people have received calls offering them a new appointment or a follow-up visit at their health center. The scammer then asks individuals to verify their appointment time by providing their BankID, according to the press release.
– This is a known phenomenon, and the patients who have received the calls have contacted us, and we are grateful for that,says Eva-Britt Morin, an official for Region Västerbotten.
She emphasizes that calling patients and asking for their BankID is something that neither Region Västerbotten nor other healthcare facilities would ever do.
– It is not our way of working at all. We never ask for BankID when we call people.
The people who received these calls did not disclose their BankID, and Region Västerbotten is grateful that people are reporting such incidents.
– It is excellent that people are calling and letting us know. Scammers usually try this tactic in several different places. Next time, they may claim to be calling from a health center in Bjurholm.
In the fall of 2022, people in Storuman were also targeted by scammers using the same tactics.
–People are aware of this, and such scams eventually die out. However, we still wanted to share this information in a press release."
Region Västerbotten is urging those who have been targeted by fraudulent attempts to report it to the police, so they can investigate further.
– It is sad that this happens. It's unfortunate for the citizens, says Eva-Britt Morin.