Target Labororaries leaves a bad taste in the mouth

My partner received a note from "Target" - turns out to be thier debt collectors almost immediately threatening her with legal action for an outstanding payment. The text from thier 'debt collector' below. My partner, like many patients I assume, felt quite intimidated by the legal action bit. I got involved and asked the whatsapp sender to identify themselves. They owned up to being Target's bookkeeping service, namely Nicol Davis & Associates. However, when I pressed them, after they pretenced to be an 'innocent bookkeeping service", turns out they are debt collectors after all! It leaves such a bad taste in the mouth as Target themselves could just have called my partner and she would have settled the account. One just wonders what happend to good old ethics in the medical industry? Really a bad taste in the mouth.

[2023/10/04, 09:08:46] ‪+***7‬: ‎Messages and calls are end-to-end encrypted. No one outside of this chat, not even WhatsApp, can read or listen to them. [2023/10/04, 09:08:46] ‪+***7‬: Dear Ms SD Austin, RE: OUTSTANDING ACCOUNT-TARGET PHATHOLOGY LABORATORIES Herewith as requested (invoice/statement of account).

Kindly note Gems Discovery Medical aid confirmed they received the claims, in which they didn't pay all three accounts. The balance still remains member’s liability. In order to avoid legal action kindly respond as a matter of urgency in regards to this matter.

We trust that this clarifies the situation and look forward to the speedy payment of the account. Herewith the banking details, Banking details: Standard Bank *** B/C: 051001 *** AMOUNT:R3168.20, *** AMOUNT R208.10 AND *** AMOUNT R148.60

Kindly forward the proof of payment to this email address to ensure immediate allocation.

Kind Regards, Lunga Tommy Bookkeeping Department NDA Accounting Bureau Tel: *** Whatsapp: *** Email: *** ‎[2023/10/04, 09:09:06] ‪+***7‬: Ms SD Austin pdf.pdf • ‎4 pages ‎document omitted [2023/10/12, 14:45:45] ‪+***7‬: Good day reminder of a payment for Target Laboratory please send us proof of payment after you made the payment [2023/10/13, 10:24:11] Sandi Austin: Could you please let us know if you are a debt collector or a legitimate employee of Target? Note that any misrepresentation will be posted on Hello Peter which will be to the detriment of Target itself. ‎<This message was edited> [2023/10/13, 10:28:30] ‪+***7‬: Good day Ms Austin

We are Nicol Davis & Associates we do book keeping for Target Laboratory. [2023/10/13, 10:35:41] Sandi Austin: Kindly send me your co contact address so that I can verify your bona fides. Also it is strange for a bookkeeping service to provide a debt collection service. Note that if any of your information is false, I will report this to the police. ‎<This message was edited> [2023/10/13, 10:36:28] Sandi Austin: I also need your personal full names to verify who you are and in the event of any misrepresentation I will report you to the police as well. [2023/10/13, 10:36:58] Sandi Austin: Also provide me with a contact person at target that I can liaise on this matter. [2023/10/13, 10:49:19] ‪+***7‬: Dear Ms Austin

We are a registered Debt Collectors firm however we assist Target Laboratories with accounts administration by advising patients of unpaid or short fall amounts outstanding. If we are unable to reach an arrangement with a patient like yourself with 2 months your account will be moved to our collections department where collection fees and interest will be charged on your account.

Our registered name is Sequeira Administrator trading as Nicol Davis & Associates you are welcome to verify this and you can also contact the laboratory directly to verify that we do collections on their behalf. [2023/10/13, 11:17:02] Sandi Austin: So that was a lie? I will put this on Hello Peter [2023/10/13, 11:19:08] Sandi Austin: Send a contact name at Target we will only deal with them. Under no circumstances were we NOT going to pay this bill but since you treated me as a patient like a commodity I have to call into question the ethics of Target itself. Remember the Hippocratic Oath.