What is a healthcare scam?
Healthcare scams sell fake, unproven, or dangerous medical products, exploit fear of illness to harvest personal information, or fraudulently bill insurance companies for services never provided.
Last reviewed: 10 June 2026
Explanation
Healthcare fraud takes several distinct forms. Consumer-facing scams target people with serious health conditions or health anxiety, selling products claiming miraculous cures — for cancer, diabetes, dementia, weight loss, or chronic pain — without scientific evidence and sometimes with dangerous ingredients. These products range from supplements to devices to online consultations.
Identity-based healthcare fraud uses personal and insurance information to bill healthcare payers for services never rendered. Victims may discover the fraud only when they receive Explanation of Benefits statements for treatments they never received, or when they face complications from false records in their medical history.
During health crises, pop-up fraudulent testing or vaccination services have appeared — collecting copayments for tests or jabs that are not administered, or harvesting insurance details and personal information under the guise of health screening.
Online pharmacies are a particularly significant concern. Many sites operate illegally, selling counterfeit drugs, prescription medications without a prescription, or products with dangerous substituted ingredients. Counterfeit medicines can be ineffective, contaminated, or actively harmful.
Common red flags
- A product claiming to cure, treat, or reverse a serious condition without medical trial evidence
- Unsolicited contact about a free medical test or health screening that requires your insurance details
- Explanation of Benefits statements from your insurer for services you never received
- An online pharmacy offering prescription drugs without requiring a prescription
- Prices dramatically lower than regulated pharmacies for branded medications
- Medical testimonials that are anonymous, unverifiable, or suspiciously uniform
What to do now
- Check any medical product claim against your national health authority or medicines regulator
- Review your health insurance Explanation of Benefits statements regularly for unfamiliar claims
- Report suspicious claims to your insurance provider's fraud hotline
- Report miracle cure products to the FDA (US), MHRA (UK), or your national medicines regulator
- Only purchase medicines from pharmacies registered with your national regulator
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if an online pharmacy is legitimate?
In the UK, look for the General Pharmaceutical Council registration logo. In the US, use the NABP Accredited Online Pharmacy list. A legitimate online pharmacy requires a valid prescription for prescription medications and has a physical address and registered pharmacist contactable by phone.
Can health supplement claims be believed?
Supplement claims are less regulated than pharmaceutical claims in most jurisdictions, but claims of treating, curing, or reversing disease are subject to regulatory scrutiny. If a supplement makes medical claims, be sceptical and check whether the ingredients have been evaluated in independent clinical trials.