WVU Medicine urges caution as phone scams target public
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Members of the community have reported receiving a limited number of fraudulent phone calls appearing to come from the WVU Medicine phone number 304-598-4200. The bad actors behind these calls are scammers posing as WVU Medicine in hopes of gaining access to Medicare numbers and personal health information.
WVU Medicine takes patients’ and employees’ privacy and security very seriously.
Fraudsters frequently mask their phone numbers to impersonate people calling on behalf of trusted or familiar entities, a practice known as spoofing.
Just as financial institutions will never ask for account numbers or protected information over the phone, no WVU Medicine facility or staff member will ever call patients to request their Medicare numbers or personal health information.
Anyone who receives one of these calls from 304-598-4200 should hang up immediately.
What can patients do to protect themselves?
All patients and employees should stay alert and be aware of phone spoofing scams like this one. In the event someone receives one of these fraudulent calls, the following suggested actions can be taken immediately:
- Zip it: If someone asks for sensitive data like a Medicare number, Social Security number, or any personal information, do not say anything – just hang up.
- Check it: After hanging up, call recipients may verify the call’s legitimacy by contacting WVU Medicine J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital’s main number at 304-598-4000.
- Report it: Inform the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) of any fraudulent calls by visiting FTC.gov/Calls.
- Screen it: There are many services and apps available that can help block or screen out scam calls. Some may be included as part of a phone carrier’s calling plan. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) provides a list of these services at FCC.gov/Call-Blocking.
For media inquiries: Leigh Limerick, WVU Medicine Manager of Marketing and Communications - [email protected]