A 33-year-old man was recently arrested in Santos, suspected of being involved in a criminal group that perpetrates a scam known as the false diagnosis scheme. This group allegedly utilizes patients’ medical records, particularly those with cancer, to carry out their fraudulent activities.
Imagine the shock and disbelief when individuals, already battling serious illnesses such as cancer, become targets of deceitful schemes designed to exploit their vulnerability. These criminals prey on people’s fears and anxieties about their health for their financial gain.
One survivor shared her harrowing experience with the modus operandi of these fraudsters after undergoing treatment for thyroid cancer. She recounted how she narrowly escaped falling victim to a false metastasis diagnosis scam orchestrated by the gang. In her words: “I was desperate.”
The modus operandi typically involves contacting patients under the guise of medical staff from a healthcare facility where the individual underwent tests. They inform the victims that there has been an alteration in their test results, urging them to urgently consult a doctor regarding this supposed change.
Furthermore, these scammers offer to deliver the revised results directly to the patients’ homes for a nominal fee of R$9.90. The unsuspecting victims, caught off guard by the alarming news, often agree to this arrangement only to be duped through tampered card machines during payment.
Law enforcement authorities from the 2nd District Police Station in Santos uncovered that this criminal activity was rampant across various locations within the city. Through meticulous investigations, they successfully identified one of the perpetrators behind this nefarious scheme.
Recognizing the severity of these fraudulent activities preying on vulnerable individuals dealing with critical health issues like cancer, judicial orders were swiftly issued for search and seizure operations along with temporary arrest warrants targeting suspects linked to these crimes.
Ultimately, one suspect was apprehended in Vila Mathias district on a Tuesday following an intensive manhunt led by law enforcement officials. Upon his arrest, incriminating evidence such as clothing worn during scams, helmets, delivery backpacks, mobile phones and a motorcycle were confiscated by police as part of their investigation.
The survivor who had previously battled cancer revealed her ordeal involving a suspicious WhatsApp message received post her medical procedure at an imaging clinic earlier in March. She narrated how she received false information about her test results via text prompting immediate action – an experience that left her shaken despite evading becoming another victim herself.
In light of these distressing events unfolding within our communities today, it serves as a stark reminder for everyone to remain vigilant against such deceitful practices lurking amidst our daily lives.
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