It's one bizarre scam and one doctors fear could have a disastrous result.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center has issued a warning about a major scam involving human organs.
Officials have received several reports about scammers posing as VUMC representatives offering cash payments for organ donations through texts and messages on social media.
"This is a phishing scam. No authorized transplant program in the U.S. would do this. Not only is this practice illegal, creating confusion around the life-saving gift of organ donation could result in someone not receiving a desperately needed organ," said a VUMC spokesperson in a statement.
Several of the messages were sent from outside the state.
"It's the most wonderful thing when a family donates in their time of greatest pain," said Dr. Seth Karp, surgeon-in-chief at VUMC. "They can think about other people in that time and give that wonderful gift of life. It's just extraordinary that they're willing to do this."
It's the importance of donations that has Karp so concerned about the messages.
The message reads in part, "Do you need to raise cash? We are in need of a kidney donor, and we are ready to buy your kidney in the amount of $120,000."
"It's so disturbing on so many levels," said Karp. "You're taking advantage of people's kindness. To think you could be paid a certain amount of money and soon after donate your kidney, it's simply not true. That could never happen."
"Anything that undermines the trust the public has in transplantation has the potential to kill people," he continued. "If you prevent someone from donating, people die."
If you have received one of these messages, you are asked to call the VUMC Integrity Line at 866-783-2287. The line is available 24/7.