Victim Location 03462
Type of a scam Counterfeit Product
I am a Family Medicine doctor. In the middle of a busy day, my secretary gave me contact information of an individual from Top Doctor and a call back number, stating that I won a Top Doctor award. Please understand, we all work hard for our patients and recognition for our services is treasured. I called back and a very nice woman told me that I won the Top Doctor Award for Family Medicine- not a local but national award. I was chosen among all other doctors to recieve this award, which I was nominated for by one of my peers. (She stated that the name was confidential when I asked). She went on to tell me that the process involves recommendations from my peers and patients. I was over the top excited! She then went on to ask me which type of customized plaque I wanted to commemorate my award. The price was $289 and because I was so excited about my award, she wouldn’t charge me shipping. I actually told her I hesitated to give her my credit card number, but she assured me the call was legitamate and she would send an email with directions on how to make sure all of the information about me was correct for their Top Doctor magazine, in which I would be featured as the Top Doctor for Family Medicine. I hung up and did a google search and then realized I had been scammed. I truly believed there was a legitimate vetting process for my award, and the award actually meant something. I called customer service, telling her that I changed my mind and no longer wanted the plaque. I asked her to credit the $289 back to my credit card. She then said she would sell it to me for $99. I said NO, I just want my money back and would get the plaque later, after I was able to process all of this. She initally gave me push back, but when I told her I already called my credit card company to contest the charge, she acquiesed. I did receive an email from Find a Top Doc.com allowing me to have "exclusive access to a wide variety of benefits that help to build your brand, grow your practice, and share your insights with a receptive audience of patients". I then called client services and spoke to a woman who clearly did not want to answer my question about the vetting process- such as: what peers? What patients? She finally said that actually their marketing team just looks at online comments about providers to decide who to give an "award" to. They don’t actually talk or reach out to anyone, peers or patient.
Here is why this is a scam:
1. I was called in my office during the day by someone claiming I won a prestigious award. This was dishonest.
2. The woman led me to believe this was an amazing, national award that I got through a careful vetting process of reviews by patients and peers. In fact, the marketing team looks at online sources to decide who to give the award to. Last year a medical journalist (not a doctor) got an award!
3. It is clear that the callers are reading from a script and play on your emotions (of recognition for your hard work) so that you will purchase one of their plaques.
4. The final benefit appears to be to be able to showcase you as a doctor as one of the best- picked by a marketing team with little actual knowledge of your achievements or lack thereof. The charge for the plaque more than likely is a fee for this service. This is deceptive to patients who actually may rely on this information in choosing a doctor.
The phone number is the one I was called from, notifying me of my award and offering me the commemorative plaque. Not sure if the address above is the same as the one I was called from. The address is from the email "Find a Doc"- the one for publicity. The 2 companies may be working together.
Victim Location 06405
Type of a scam Yellow Pages/Directories
They called my office and claimed to be the Top Doctor program that nominates local doctors based on peer and recommendations.
The caller was reportedly a Kelly Pendergast from Top Doctor Awards. She can be reached at 877-247-0879 Ext. 104.
When I called they said they wanted to get my information for the plaque for my wall and said I would be contacted in 6 weeks by the magazine for additional details. Then they charged $248 for the plaque. When I called the magazine with the ACTUAL top doctors issue (http://www.connecticutmag.com/bests-tops/connecticut-magazine-s-top-docs/articl…⇄ they said this was a scam and unrelated to them. Further internet research shows similar calls to other offices with this SCAM to get doctors to pay for a fake plaque for a fake magazine award– http://www.mhconcierge.com/2018/01/06/new-scam-your-top-doctor-award-plaque-is-r…⇄ I then cancelled my credit card before it was charged to my account.