Tengrinews.kz — Kazakhstani citizens have recently reported a surge in suspicious calls from individuals posing as medical staff from clinics and hospitals requesting biometric identification. A Tengrinews correspondent investigated how to protect yourself from potential scammers.
What the Ministry of Health says about medical data protection
Social media posts have been surfacing periodically from Kazakhstanis describing calls from unidentified individuals that reportedly occur shortly after visits to medical facilities.
These calls often claim to be from clinics inviting patients for "screenings." Recently, one social media user reported that her mother received such a message immediately after being discharged from the hospital. Targets are typically asked to undergo biometric identification or submit medical tests.
We reached out to the Ministry of Health for comment to determine the appropriate course of action in such situations.
The agency reminded the public that information regarding hospitalization, discharge, and health status is protected by medical confidentiality.
"Kazakhstani legislation protects this information. Medical workers may only use patient data for professional duties and the provision of medical care," the Ministry of Health's press service stated.
Disclosing this data to third parties without legal grounds is strictly prohibited.
Clinic audits and potential data leaks
The Ministry stated that specialists conduct audits whenever citizens officially report a potential leak of personal or medical data.
If a patient believes their personal information has been illegally obtained or used, they can submit a formal complaint to the Information Security Committee of the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry via the e-Otinish portal, the press service noted.
"Each specific case requires a separate investigation to establish the source of the information leak and identify potential violations," they added.
How to protect yourself and your loved ones from scammers
The Ministry of Health recommends refusing any requests from unknown callers until you have verified that you are indeed speaking with an official representative of a medical organization.
If you are asked to undergo biometric identification over the phone, you should hang up immediately.
"Citizens can undergo such identification directly at the medical facility itself while receiving medical services," the Ministry reminded.
If you receive a call offering medical tests or screenings, the Ministry advises the following:
- End the conversation and call the hospital or clinic yourself using a number from their official website or another verified source.
- Verify the information. Ask your attending physician or a registration desk employee whether a test was actually ordered, the reasons for it, and where it should be conducted.
- Do not disclose confidential data. Never share SMS codes, passwords, or other information that provides access to personal accounts and digital services.
- Preserve evidence. If a call seems suspicious, record the phone number, date, and time of the conversation; save any correspondence or other details and report the incident to law enforcement.
