AHS, RCMP warn again about caller asking women to perform breast self-exams

Barrhead RCMP and Alberta Health Services have issued a warning about a phone scam involving a caller who asks women to perform a breast-self exam while on the phone.

As of Thursday, AHShad received reports that two women, one in Barrhead and one in Slave Lake, had been called by a man claiming to be from a medical imaging facility.

The caller relayed breast cancer exam results and implied that routine follow-up required the women to immediately perform a breast self-exam while on the phone. The caller also asked for personal information.

A privacy investigation is underway, AHS said in a news release.

Last summer, AHSreported that eight women from the Edmonton, Barrhead and Athabasca areas had received calls similar to the ones reported this month.

BarrheadRCMP said Friday that calls made last summer to women in Barrhead and Athabasca are still being investigated.

• Alberta women warned of 'misleading' calls about breast-screening exams

AHS said there were no further incidents reported until one phone call on Jan. 21 and another on Jan. 25.

It said that whileAHSrepresentatives may call patients to discuss mammography details, they never ask patients to conduct a breast self-exam over the phone.

Hang up and dial *57

Anyone who does get such a call is advised to hang up, noting the time and any other details.

The next step is to dial star (*) "5" then "7" to create a trace of the previous call, and then call police on a non-emergency line to report the incident.

Anyone uncomfortable with calling police, or uncertain about whether the call is legitimate, is asked to contact the AHS screening program client support line at 1-866-727-3926.