Patients of Skowhegan, Maine-based Redington-Fairview General Hospital have reportedly become the target of a robocall phishing scam, according to the Portland Press Herald.
Two patients — neither of whom fell for the scam — initially alerted the hospital after they received automated calls, Dan Connelly, Redington-Fairview's systems manager, told the Portland Press Herald.
The automated voice in the calls brings up paying hospital bills. It also requests patients' personal financial information, including credit card numbers. Interestingly, the phone number in the robocalls is a local number owned by Redington-Fairview. However, it's not an active extension in the hospital's phone system, according to a news release from Redington-Fairview.
"We just want to update people that we wouldn't use a robocalling system or an automated calling system," Mr. Connelly said, according to the report.
Redington-Fairview said there hasn't been a breach of patients' information. "Our data systems remain secure and intact, there has been no security breach," the news release said. "The scammers do not have any of [patients'] personal information. They are hoping their victims will provide financial information."
"Hospital administration and security personnel are working with the Skowhegan Police Department to further investigate the matter," according to a Redington-Fairview news release sent to Becker's Hospital Review on March 13.