A local scam in which a caller pretends to be from Butler Health System has been reported to BHS.

A community member called to tell BHS officials about a “robo call” claiming to be from the health system, according to Melissa Forster, department secretary for public relations and marketing for BHS.

The message reportedly asked the person to “please press 1 to provide your Social Security number.”

The person told BHS officials the number came up as the health system on caller ID. The citizen recorded the number, and both the citizen and BHS staff made calls to the number.

“I tried calling the number myself, as did the (community member),” Forster said. “It's a Saxonburg number, but it just rings and rings.”

The Butler Eagle will not publish the number because of the possibility of spoofing. Spoofing is the act of a scammer disguising their communication by using a trusted source, typically through a computer program.

BHS director of public relations Jana Panther said the scam sounds similar to the IRS scam that plagued the nation last year. That scam involved a phone call from a faux IRS officer threatening to arrest the caller if they did not supply immediate payment for back taxes.

“Giving out the Social Security number is the danger,” said Panther.

Panther said the hospital needs health insurance information and Social Security information, but this information is almost always handled in person at the time of visits.

“(Patients) could be asked for their insurance information, never their full Social Security number,” Panther said. “Even on forms, it lists only the last four digits of Social Security.”

Panther said supplying health insurance and Social Security information is always optional, and if someone is concerned that they may be scammed, they should wait to give that information in person.