AITA for threatening to report a doctor’s office for fraud?

Imagine picking up the phone to a surprise call from a doctor you never booked, demanding you show up for an appointment you didn’t know existed. For one Canadian woman, this bizarre scenario turned into a $150 bill for a no-show she never agreed to. Furious, she pushed back, threatening to report the doctor’s office for fraud—a move that got the charge dropped but earned her mom’s label of “Karen.” Was she fighting a scam or overreacting?

This Reddit tale dives into a murky corner of healthcare bureaucracy, where a patient’s stand against an unfair charge stirs up family tension. The OP’s clash with a shady billing attempt highlights the frustration of navigating systems meant to serve, not swindle. It’s a story that’ll make you cheer for justice while scratching your head at her mom’s take.

‘AITA for threatening to report a doctor’s office for fraud?’

I recently told me mom this story and she thought I was being a Karen about it, but I don’t think I was. I am Canadian, with government-run health care systems. They are provincially-run. I moved provinces recently. I had gotten a referral to a specialist in my old province, but then COVID hit and nothing came of it.

One day, six months after we moved, while in my new province and with a new provincial health card number, I received a call from an out-of-province number. I answered, and it was the specialist, asking if I was ready for my appointment, to which I told him I had no idea what he was talking about.

Apparently he had set up an appointment without my knowledge or even telling me (we had mail forwarding so I would have gotten the letter if he had sent one). Told him I was in a new province and had a new referral. Two weeks later I got a letter stating I was on the hook for $150 for the appointment.

The doctor had tried to charge my old health card number for the “appointment.” I was pissed, so I called them and told them that I didn’t have an appointment, I never agreed to or was notified of anything so I wasn’t paying. The office staff got n**ty and threatened to send it to collections.

So, I threatened to report them to the province for fraudulent charges of a health card - and I did so, because it was. A few days later I got a call back saying that the doctor “has decided not to charge you for the appointment.”. My mom thinks I was being an AH and should have just paid. So, Reddit, AITA?

Healthcare should heal, not scam, but the OP’s run-in with a $150 charge for a non-existent appointment shows how systems can falter. The doctor’s office tried to bill her old health card, doubling down with threats when she refused to pay. Her bold threat to report fraud forced them to back off, but her mom’s “Karen” label suggests a clash in how to handle disputes.

Billing errors plague healthcare systems. A 2023 report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (source) notes that 12% of patients face erroneous charges, often during inter-provincial moves like the OP’s. Her case screams of administrative sloppiness—or worse, intentional overreach.

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Consumer advocate Gail Vaz-Oxlade advises, “Never pay for services you didn’t receive—question every charge and escalate if needed.” The OP’s swift action—calling out the fraud and reporting it—mirrors this, safeguarding her rights. For others, documenting all interactions and contacting provincial health authorities can prevent similar scams.

Here’s the comments of Reddit users:

Reddit didn’t hold back, cheering the OP with a mix of support and righteous fury. Here’s what they said:

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Capital_Armadillo780 - NTA. They tried it, but you had time.

Turbulent_Coast5002 - NTA. Why would you pay for someone else's mistake?

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bradjanetrocky - Oh heck no NTA. That doctor tried to s**ew you out of money and you just called him out for it. Good for you for standing up for yourself. I would never have paid for something that I never agreed to.

naynay2908 - NTA. They tried to rip you off and you fought back. Even if it was a genuine mistake, why should you pay for it?

mxldevs - NTA Businesses deserve to be reported for fraud. Are they licensed professionals who are expected to meet certain standard of conduct? Good, report them to their organization and have them removed of their license.. Would that ruin their life? Probably.

Could they potentially be barred from practicing again? Very likely.. This isn't someone forgetting the meatballs on your sandwich and charging you for it.. You gave them a chance, and they threatened to send the goons at you.

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Mother-Firefighter-2 - NTA. Also Canadian, You are not on the hook for the cost, and they can pound sand.

reyballesta - NTA, not in any way, that whole thing reeks of a scam. plus, why would you pay for a service that you 1. didn't want and 2. didn't receive?

No_Adhesiveness_1918 - NTA. I booked a massage appointment and it was canceled by the masseuse an hour before the appointment. I then got a text that I had an appointment for the next day.

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I had to call her three times before she answered and I told her I never agreed to that time nor was I available.  She said okay but I would owe a 25% cancellation fee for canceling within 24 hours of the appointment. I refused to pay and said if she wanted to peruse it then go for it.

Lucia37 - Just paid $150, for what?. No, never just pay $150 for nothing. This is how con artists make money. This should be Life 101. NTA but ask your mom how often she just pays money to someone for no reason, and how much she's lost over her lifetime doing that.

Lotex_Style - I don't think your mother has any idea what a Karen is. Not wanting to be billed for something you didn't want or get clearly isn't what she thinks it is plus you're probably not the only one with this doctor. NTA.

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These fiery takes back her stand, but do they miss her mom’s side?

The OP’s battle against a bogus bill is a testament to standing firm when systems try to swindle. Her threat to report fraud wasn’t just talk—it got results. But her mom’s “Karen” jab begs the question: when does fighting back go too far? Have you ever faced a shady charge? Drop your stories and strategies—let’s swap tips for slaying bureaucratic dragons!

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