Salina Regional Health Center is scammed out of $1,500.

Police say that an employee at the hospital’s financial office received a call this week from someone claiming to be from Westar Energy. The hospital, which has multiple Westar accounts for its multiple locations, was told that two of the accounts were past due, and service was about to be discontinued. The hospital employee was told to call an 800 number and talk to “Peter”.

The hospital employee was told to purchase $1,500 in prepaid credit cards, then call back with the card code numbers to avoid power being shut off within 30 minutes at the hospital’s main building at 400 S. Santa Fe.

The employee did as instructed, purchased the cards at a Kwik Shop, and then provided the card information over the phone. Officials became suspicious and called police, but the money was already gone.

Total loss is $1,500.