Ben Pawlowski
Have you been a victim in a fraud case? If so, message: tips@theolivepress.es
A ‘FAKE doctor’ who defrauded patients on the Costa del Sol for over 30 years charged up to €4,000 for treatment, according to the Guardia Civil.
The 56-year old man was arrested last week for allegedly raking in over €300,000 from just two patients who alerted police after the treatment failed to have the advertised impact on their recoveries.
The unnamed swindler had no medical training whatsoever, relying on a fake medical stamp and number to dupe unsuspecting private customers.
The man, who posed for over three decades as a rehabilitative doctor, worked three days a week at his home clinic in Rincon de la Victoria.
He saw an average of 12 appointments a day, with prices for treatment ranging between €20 and €4,000.
Investigators searched the man’s home following his arrest and found various documentation and medical reports including blood tests, ultrasounds and MRIs.
They also discovered lists detailing charges and appointments, with investigators estimating that daily earnings ranged between €400 and €600.
The detained individual told patients that he worked at the Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital – officials have confirmed that the man never worked there.
A Guardia Civil spokesman said: “This arrest shows that we will not tolerate people who put the public’s health at risk by pretending to be qualified professionals when they are not”.
The president of the College of Physicians of Malaga said: “Fortunately there are very few cases of this type and when there are, the association acts quickly in conjunction with the state’s security forces and bodies. It is in this type of situation that the existence of professional associations, which work for the dignity of the medical profession, is valued”.
The investigation continues.
READ MORE:
- Con man who ‘faked being a doctor for 30 YEARS’ on Spain’s Costa del Sol is arrested
- Have a doctor’s appointment in Spain’s Andalucia this week? Wear a face mask or risk being turned away and…
- Want to avoid cancer? Doctors in Spain say 30 minutes of exercise a day will significantly reduce the risk…
