As far as I'm aware he hasn't signed any agreements.

Holiday insurance scam?? Sounds possibly more like a youngster who was witnessed bleeding alone in the street and someone perhaps called an ambulance (perhaps even someone in the club he was in) and he was taken for treatment and a bed for the night (where he clearly stayed). I do sympathise with your concerns but the reality is this might not be quite as clear cut as you think it is/have been told (that said, an overnight stay will not cost 1000 euros). As far as the hospital are concerned, they received a patient who they looked after. To answer your question, yes the hospital could well contact the airport police and ask them to speak to your son, I have seen it in the past when young people wreck apartments and then leg it to the airport. I would suggest that perhaps your son (or even possibly you) speaks to a representative from the British Consulate in Corfu Town to get some advice 0030 26610 30055 / 23457 (this is the number on their website, it needs amending obviously if calling inside Corfu). They won't take sides, or negotiate, but they will no doubt have come across all sorts of scenarios over the years and may well be able to offer some suggestions/advice which might put your mind (and that of your son) at rest. It's worth considering.

auntieja, I accept a lot of what you say but there are many things that don't seem right. I've already spoken to the consulate by the way. I accept that it may be quite correct to intercept persons leaving the country that have committed criminal offences but this is a civil debt and not a crime. At no stage was he asked if he had private medical insurance at the initial contact stage. If he had I've no doubt he'd have walked away. He was only told it was private healthcare the next day which seems somewhat deceitful. The things that concern me are how on earth did they get hold of a copy of his passport which was in the hotel safe and also the clinic have told him they would make it look an emergency on the paperwork to deceive the insurers into paying out. When he told them about the £200 excess on the policy they told him that he should pay the clinic the excess not the insurers. Sorry but it just seems all wrong to me.

Until recently, state hospitals in Greece were treating tourists without even asking for the EU International Insurance Card. I know it because many foreign friends and relatives of mine often needed medical care in Greece and this was given to them for free. The hospitals were not even asking for the insurance card to get their money back (maybe one more reason why we are in such an economic condition right now :) )...

So it can't have been that someone just called for an ambulance in the emergency number because he would have been taken to a public hospital, which would have never done all this that the OP describes.

It sounds very weird on the other hand, that a private hospital has an ambulance outside of a club waiting for "victims".

Furthermore, if he hasn't signed anything I don't think they can prove that he owes them any money.

He should definitely address the local tourist police or normal police or the British Consulate as the above poster suggests.

Good luck!

I remember seeing a programme on UK TV within the last 6 months, where the clinics were effectively touting for business in exactly the way that Ian L describes. Unfortunately I can't recall the name of the programme, but I will try and find it.

Good news, he's back home safe and sound, I'll post an update when he wakes up.

Ian L - thats great news. You must be so relieved. I was thinking of you both. Let us know how he got on.

" I'll post an update when he wakes up. "

After the ordeal he's had I take it that will be Tuesday then!! LOL. Glad he made it home.

Yes it probably will after his mum has hugged him to death!