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Abortion

Health Care Scams: How to Spot Fake Health Clinics

Feb. 26, 2024 min read

By Anna Spitz, Senior Marketing Manager

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These days, misinformation is everywhere. We see it on social media and television constantly. What some people don’t realize is that there are organizations in our own neighborhoods using predatory practices to spread harmful misinformation and deceitful tactics to individuals experiencing unplanned pregnancies. 

Enter Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs). These anti-abortion organizations often operate out of mobile vans or trailers and park outside of real health centers. They claim to provide a range of reproductive health care services including abortion care services, but instead use deceptive tactics to delay access to time-sensitive services or dissuade individuals from choosing to get an abortion:

  • Misleading Advertising: They advertise free pregnancy tests, abortion counseling, pre-abortion screenings, abortion education, post-abortion care, or after-abortion help — but they refuse to help anyone get an abortion.
  • Delay Tactics: They purposefully prolong appointments with misleading information or unnecessary procedures to deter individuals from seeking timely medical care elsewhere.
  • False Medical Advice: They share inaccurate medical information about the risks and consequences of abortion and contraception often with the aim of dissuading individuals from pursuing these options.
  • Limited Services: They claim to provide a wide variety of medical services, but oftentimes don’t even have licensed medical professionals or the necessary equipment to offer comprehensive care.
  • Shaming & Pressuring: They will try to shame individuals for considering abortion and will attempt to pressure people into continuing a pregnancy and choosing adoption instead.
     

Online Resources to Find Legitimate Clinics

There are hundreds of CPCs across the country. Websites like exposefakeclinics.com, crisispregnancycentermap.com, and The Fake Clinic Database can help you figure out which clinics in your area are crisis pregnancy centers. 
 

Real Health Centers Provide Support Without Judgment

Real health centers are open and upfront about their services. They’ll help you get the care you need, and they will never pressure you to make certain decisions about sex, birth control, or pregnancy. Real health centers give you honest facts about all of your options — without scare tactics, shame, or judgment — so you can decide for yourself what’s right for you and your future. 

Whether you’re looking for accurate information about available options when experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, or are seeking other reproductive health care including birth control, STI testing & treatment, or a wellness exam, your local Planned Parenthood is here to help. To make an appointment, call 714-922-4100.

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