Former users of Yaz birth control medication are receiving bogus phone calls offering thousands of dollars for those who suffered complications.
Beatris Santos received one of the phone calls.
She was previously hospitalized for a month and a half, suffering from complications after taking the birth control drug Yaz.
She’s one of many women nationwide who used Yaz, which has prompted television commercials advertising medical compensation settlements.
But Beatris actually received a direct phone call offering her $7,500.
“If you have any kind of side effect after that, like a blood clot, pulmonary embolism or a heart attack then you are eligible for this compensation on the same day,” said the caller.
The caller named specific dates that Beatris had been hospitalized and said he was a Food and Drug Administration representative working with Bank of America to refund victims.
“You just have to buy a green dot money pack card for security only,” the caller told Beatris.
Beatris, a single parent who is raising six kids, needed the money and it sounded real enough to her, so she sent $60 using a “green dot money pack card.”
But Beatris never received a cent, let alone the $7,500.
“II felt like I was just played. I felt like I was just got for $60, and you know with six kids, $60 is … groceries. It’s a bill. It’s important,” she said.
She says the calls are still coming, now at 15 to 20 per day, asking for $120 more, still referencing personal medical information.
But now she knows it’s not legitimate.
“With that information what they’re doing is … they’re preying on people like me,” says Beatris.
We contacted the phone representative Monday night for answers.
He said his name is Daniel Scott.
Beau Berman: “This is Beau Berman with Fox Connecticut News.”
Daniel Scott: “Ohhh my goodness. Why did you call this number?”
Beau Berman: “We’re just trying to find out some information. Ms. Santos sent a green dot card to you a while ago and never received her settlement money.”
Daniel Scott: “My goodness. … Don’t call this number anymore, stupid.”
Mr. Scott hung up after that.
A Google search of the Georgia address he provided shows that it is not a valid address for the FDA.
Beatris says she realizes she probably won’t get her money back, but it’s not stopping her from trying to warn others.
“Don’t let these people come into your life. Don’t let them play you basically … because that’s what they’re doing.”
Attorneys working on settlement offers like this say they will never call you first. You have to initiate the contact.
The Connecticut Attorney General’s Office says that they haven’t received any complaints about the calls.