ISLAMABAD: The members of the health fraternity have received suspicious offers through a letter from a private entity, offering them plots at half price in exchange for sharing the name of their mother as well as the security code on their debit cards.
Doctors, who have never applied for such a scheme, are being informed that they would get a plot in the purported doctors’ enclave in the health park. The letter claimed that the project is a ‘healthcare and wellness’ plan by the government of Pakistan, the Health Services Academy, and others exclusively reserved for ‘PMDC-registered doctors’.
The letter also has a QR code to login or contact the sender.
Dr Ahmed Nizami, a resident of Muzaffarabad, received such a letter through a courier service.
“There was also a QR code on the letter, so I scanned it. I was informed that a 1 Kanal plot worth Rs10 million was being given to me for just Rs4,600,000. When I checked the registration link, it asked for the name of my mother and the code printed on the backside of my ATM card. I became certain that it was a scam, and I would lose all the money in my bank if I shared the details,” he said.
Medical fraternity offered land at discounted rates in exchange for personal information
“I came to know that a number of doctors in my city got similar letters. I decided to share the letter on social media, due to which I received a call from the sender asking, ‘Why was I defaming them? and they asked me to keep quiet if I don’t want to buy the plot and let others buy it,” he said.
Dr Nizami said renowned dermatologist Dr Sobia Awan received a similar letter. The letter mentioned ‘the Health Park, Business Incubation Centre (BIC), Health Services Academy (HSA), NIH, the Prime Minister’s National Health Complex, Park Road, Chak Shahzad, Islamabad” as its sender’s address. Muhammad Naeem, a resident of Islamabad, told Dawn that his sister also became a victim of a cyber-fraud.
“My sister, who is a teacher, got a call that the Higher Education Commission (HEC) wanted to verify her documents. The person told her to click a link, and later her WhatsApp was hacked. Soon after that messages were sent to all her contacts that she wanted some money and an account number was also shared with all the contacts. Her one friend transferred a hefty amount,” he claimed.
A senior official of the health ministry said that Health Secretary Nadeem Mehbub received a complaint over the matter and directed his subordinate to look into it. He feared that the company offering plots might flee one day, and the HSA would come to know that there was no land for the health park.
Ministry’s spokesperson Sajid Shah said he was not aware of the incident but asked the medical fraternity not to share their confidential information with anyone.
When contacted at the contact number provided on the offer letter, a person who introduced himself as Jawad Khan said that it was a genuine scheme.
“We collected names and contacts of doctors from the PMDC and then held balloting. All those who got the plots should clear the dues, as it will be beneficial for them. It is a project of the HSA and the NIH… The price of a 5 Marla plot is Rs2.3 million with a four-year payment plan,” he claimed. When asked about the location of the housing society, Mr Khan said that it was near the New Islamabad International Airport.
