Brazilian hospitals warn of scams targeting families of ICU patients

Criminals posing as medical staff contacted relatives of patients in intensive care units at Hospital Regional Santa Filomena in Monteiro, Paraíba, demanding a R$ 5,000 payment for a fictitious urgent surgery. The family was stopped from sending a Pix transfer after a hospital social worker intervened.

Hospital Estadual Dr. Alberto Rassi (HGG) in Goiânia reported three similar fraud attempts, with scammers again claiming to represent the hospital and requesting money via phone or digital messages. Both public hospitals stressed that, as part of the Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), they do not charge for consultations, exams, surgeries, hospital stays, medications or any other services, and they never solicit payments by phone, message or Pix.

The facilities have alerted patients and their families to verify any payment request directly with hospital staff, to report suspicious contacts to the police, and to file a police report. Police investigations have been opened in both states to identify the perpetrators.