Sheridan Memorial Hospital staff continue to warn the public about fraudulent phone calls, text messages, emails and other communications from individuals impersonating hospital staff and departments. The scammers attempt to obtain personal information and payments in a variety of ways.
“Protecting your personal information is part of keeping you safe,” said Tenille Straley, compliance and privacy officer at SMH. “If you ever receive an unexpected call asking for payment or personal details, take a moment to pause and verify. It’s absolutely OK to hang up and call us back using a trusted hospital number. Your safety, both medical and financial, matters to us.
Scams can look different depending on the mode of communication used. For example, scams reported to Sheridan Memorial Hospital have included:
- Caller ID “spoofing: to make it appear the call is coming from an SMH number
- Urgent claims that a bill must be paid immediately
- Requests for payment via gift cards, wire transfer, cash apps or cryptocurrency
- Texts/emails with links to fake portals that capture login credentials and credit card information
- Messages asking for Social Security numbers, insurance IDs or one-time passcodes
The best ways to protect yourself from scammers include:
- Hang up and verify the call is coming from Sheridan Memorial Hospital, our clinics or partners.
- Don’t click on suspicious links.
- Slow down. Scammers often use urgency as a way to pressure individuals into providing payments or information. It is important to take a few minutes to verify the message is legitimate.
- If you have questions about your medical bill from Sheridan Memorial Hospital or our clinics, call our patient account representatives directly at 307.672.1010.
While Sheridan Memorial Hospital staff may reach out to verify information, schedule appointments and provide additional services, we encourage the community to exercise caution and trust their instincts. If a call or message seems suspicious, contact the hospital or our clinics directly through our published phone numbers before providing any personal information.
To learn more about the digital billing system that SMH recently implemented with partner Revco, see the SMH website at https://www.sheridanhospital.org/billing-services/pay-my-bill/.