cookj5 Posted May 3, 2020 Report Share Posted May 3, 2020 Phone scammers are calling up the patients of Dr. Gerardo Leon and pretending to me him. This happened to me yesterday and when I contacted Dr. Leon to verify the call, he told me that several of his patients had been hit. He didn't say so, but I suspect his office computer has been hacked and the patient list with phone numbers stolen. He was very apologetic, but of course it was not his fault. The scammer doesn't identify himself at first, but then claims he is Dr. Leon. He says he is in the neighborhood checking on his patients and asks to stop by for a visit. I thought he didn't quite sound like Dr. Leon, but said he could stop by. A short time later, the scammer called again and said he had gotten in an accident on the way and a little girl had been hurt. He needed me to go to Oxxo right away and send him $5000 pesos which, of course, he would pay back. I had been hit with this scam once before, so my BS alarm went off. When I declined to send the money, he asked if I could manage $500 pesos. At that point I hung up and called Dr. Leon directly, who told me that some of his patients had fallen for it and sent money. He was trying to get the word out to warn the rest and was delighted when I said I'd post an alert on Chapala.com. These scammers speak excellent English and are very persuasive, so be on the alert. If anyone calls you and says they know you and then lays out a sob story ending with a plea for money, DON'T DO IT! Immediately contact the one they are impersonating and verify the call. This time the scammer said he was Dr. Leon, but the last time he said he was my "favorite nephew", in town unexpectedly and had just got in an accident. The story may differ, but the scam is the same. WATCH OUT! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalGal Posted May 3, 2020 Report Share Posted May 3, 2020 This type of scam is very popular with the crooks down here. Don't fall for it.....call the person who is being impersonated directly before handing over any money to Anyone!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lcscats Posted May 3, 2020 Report Share Posted May 3, 2020 Very very old scam. In the US my mother says one called her pretending to be me. You see I was arrested and in jail in california. She said (my Moms a card) have a nice time in jail and they will let you out eventually. Bye Bye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuphel Posted May 3, 2020 Report Share Posted May 3, 2020 I know someone this happened to in Canada, too. Luckily, they had heard of the scam from me talking about it happening to a neighbour in Riberas, so they hung up after giving the guy a piece of their mind. Politely, of course. She's Canadian after all, <wink> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudgirl Posted May 4, 2020 Report Share Posted May 4, 2020 3 hours ago, stuphel said: hung up after giving the guy a piece of their mind. Politely, of course. She's Canadian after all, She probably apologized profusely for not sending him money, being Canadian. 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Posted May 4, 2020 Report Share Posted May 4, 2020 And she probably peppered it with a few well rounded adjectives while sounding apologetic as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisy2013 Posted May 4, 2020 Report Share Posted May 4, 2020 He called me also, said he was Dr Leon. Have not been a patient for 13 years or so. Did not sound like him so I said what do you want, he said was told someone in your house has corona. Virus. I said sorry wrong number and hung up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladner Posted May 5, 2020 Report Share Posted May 5, 2020 He's still calling this morning. He hung up instantly when I said I knew of the scam. Called from 331 230 4780 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Out1 Posted May 10, 2020 Report Share Posted May 10, 2020 Just got a call from the same number 331-230-4780. He just said I am your friend Michael; told him I know about his scam and he hung up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bournemouth Posted May 19, 2020 Report Share Posted May 19, 2020 I just received a call from the number shown above and due to this thread, was able to ignore it. This is where the board is very useful. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artsnob Posted May 19, 2020 Report Share Posted May 19, 2020 I got one this morning, I had him on speaker phone ,told him I would let him talk to a police man who was here, he was so rude he hung up... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adolphsj Posted May 19, 2020 Report Share Posted May 19, 2020 Just got him yesterday.....bye bye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael2595 Posted May 20, 2020 Report Share Posted May 20, 2020 A polieman's whistle blown very strongly into the phone will insure the person will never make another phone call again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gringohombre Posted May 22, 2020 Report Share Posted May 22, 2020 Just got a call from "Dr. Leon" from the same number referenced here. I had almost forgotten that maybe 10 years ago i had consulted him once. He first asked the "red light" question, "Do you know who I am?". He then went on in perfect English before throwing in a few sentences in perfect Spanish (trying to throw me off, or to prove he was Mexican). He soon realized that I was on to him and when I asked "What do you want? " he said "Your stinking A--" and hung up. BEWARE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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