The internet is the greatest resource of information ever created in the history of mankind. Conversely, it is a near limitless source of false information, rip-offs and scams. Both sides of this coin are seen in plastic surgery as well. Most everyone is familiar by now with the Nigerian scam in which millions of dollars need to be transferred to you and then given back…while you allegedly get a percentage. They are numerous other variations on this scam, most recently using a Korean banking representative.
Like all good scams, they work under the premise of human greed and the false belief that you really can get a lot of money by doing nothing. Its an old trick that has worked since time began. One of the newest scams used against plastic surgeons is what I call the ‘free patient’. The enticement of a patient arriving on your doorstep, by no effort of your own, and willing to immediately for cosmetic surgery. Such trojan horses could only be delivered by the internet because they are undoubtably sent to a large number of plastic surgeons looking for just a few to bite.
I find this plastic surgery scam entertaining so I thought I would share it with my readers. It starts out by an e-mail from a father in another country who wants his son to get gynecomastia (male breast) surgery. He allegedly started to develop breasts at age 18, is humiliated by it, and needs to have surgery as soon as possible. He wants to know how to start making the arrangements for surgery and what the cost is. On the surface such an e-mail inquiry may well be legitimate. Treating patients from around the world, I have seen a lot of similar inquiries. So an initial response is provided which is always about requesting more information particularly photographs of the problem. Surgical fees are rarely provided until I have a visual assessment of what type of surgery is needed.
Here is the second e-mail that is received from a response that requests more information:
‘How are you today? Having considered the cost, I have decided to proceed with payment because now I will not be able to be there.
I will send you my credit card information details so you can charge for the surgery. Due to the fact that my family will be coming from abroad for vacation, I have contacted a travel agent that will take care of their arrangements and needs for their stay.
So due to the trust reposed on your hospital, I have decided that I will send you my credit card information so that you can charge for your services and the service of the travel agent. I want you to charge a total of 9,000 USD from my credit card. You deduct 3,000 USD for deposit for your services and send the balance of 6,000 USD to the agent so he can start their flight bookings and hotel arrangements. The rest of the payment will be completed before surgery. All of the charges that will be accrued during this transaction will be deducted from my credit card.
I hope I can trust you. They will arrive for consultation on the 5th of May. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me.
Best regards.
Allen Bradley
Of course this is a standard response sent back, undoubtably computer generated as no fees were ever provided as was the request for photographic information ignored.
One does wonder who falls for these scams…and what new variations they will come up with the next time. But the scam is just a variation for plastic surgeons that uses the old premise of…to get your money you will undoubtably be asked to transfer some first…complete with your credit card and banking information.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana