AI tech seen in scammer pretending as doctor asking for donations over phone

The San Lazaro Hospital on Thursday warned the public against scammers suspected to be using artificial intelligence (AI) to change their voice and pose as a hospital official to illegally solicit money. 

According to Vonne Aquino’s report in “24 Oras,” hospital supplier Jona Cali received a call from someone who introduced himself as San Lazaro Medical Center chief David Suplico on November 5. 

Someone who claimed to be a secretary handed the phone to the person who introduced himself as Suplico and claimed that he knew about the transactions in the hospital.

“Parang sa amin naman po, alam niya ‘yung lahat ng information, eh,” Cali said.

(It seemed to us that he knew all the information.) 

The scammer eventually asked for a donation for a supposed fundraiser.

“Meron daw kasi ngayong project si DOH which is ‘yun nga, ‘yung nagko-collect sila ng funds para matulungan yung mga nasalanta sa Cebu,” Cali said.

(He said the DOH currently has a project, which is why they are collecting funds to help those affected by the disaster in Cebu.) 

“Ngayon daw is kino-contact nila ‘yung mga suppliers ng bawat hospital para makapag-share para doon sa drive na ginagawa, sa fundraising na ginagawa nila. So kami po, para makatulong lang din kahit small amount nagbigay kami ng P10,000.” 

(He said they are now contacting the suppliers of every hospital so they can share in the drive that they are conducting, the fundraising they are doing. So, we gave a small amount just to help, we gave P10,000.) 

The scammer then called her back the next day and requested money once more.

“Kung pwede raw bang kami muna mag-abono ng cash na worth P50,000 kasi daw yung isang supplier, naka-tseke pa yung pera. Once na daw na na-encash na nila yung tseke ibibigay daw niya sa amin yung cash ire-return niya. So nung time po na ‘yun… parang nagduda na po kami,” she said. 

(If we could advance the cash worth P50,000 because he said the other supplier’s money was still in a check. Once they have encashed the check, he would return the cash to us. So, at that time... We started to be suspicious.) 

Cali said they did not give any amount and then called one of Suplico’s staffers.

“Hindi naman na daw po niya talaga kilala. Tapos doon na po, naano na namin na may nagpapanggap nga talagang Doc Suplico,” she said. 

([The staffer] said he really didn't know him. And that’s when we realized that there was truly someone pretending to be Doc Suplico.) 

Further, Cali noticed that there was something odd with how the scammer talked.

“Parang robot po na talagang scripted ‘yung sinasabi niya kasi pag tumatawag siya, kakatok, may katok pang tatlong beses. Tapos sasabihin, ‘Gusto po kayong makausap ni Doc Suplico,’” she said.

(It was like a robot and what he was saying was really scripted because when he would call, he would knock, three knocks. Then he would say, ‘Doc Suplico wants to speak with you.’) 

“Tapos sasabihin niya sa amin, ‘Five to 10 minutes lang po, may kausap lang sa other call si Doc Suplico,’ ganyan. Tapos after five minutes, tatawag po talaga siya.”

(Then he would tell us, ‘Just five to 10 minutes, Doc Suplico is just on another call,’ something like that. Then after five minutes, he would really call.) 

Because of the incident, San Lazaro Hospital immediately issued a warning on their website. 

The hospital management also spoke with their doctors and medical staff so they wouldn’t fall victim to the scam. 

“Masakit sa loob ko, ang tagal kong inaalagaan ang aking pangalan. Sa isang insidente, madudungisan ang pangalan mo,” Suplico said. 

(I am really hurt, I took care of my reputation for so long. Just because of one incident, your name will be tarnished.) 

San Lazaro Hospital reiterated that they are not soliciting money and those who want to make donations should conduct their transactions right at the hospital.

“We need to issue a receipt for this donation. Kung may tumatawag sa inyo na nanghihingi ng pera ang aming hospital, hindi po ‘yan totoo,” Suplico said. 

(We need to issue a receipt for this donation. If someone calls you asking for money on behalf of our hospital, that is not true.) 

Other hospitals like the Tondo Medical Center and Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center also issued similar warnings on social media regarding scammers who are using the hospitals’ names to make money. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/JMA, GMA Integrated News