A fake doctor who pretended to be specializing in cancer was arrested after his patient discovered he was a fraud.

Fern, a 49-year-old woman from Thousand Oaks, reported to authorities in June that Vincent Gammill, 69, of El Cerrito in Richmond, prescribed her fake medications after collecting $2,000 from her, according to Daily Times Gazette.

Like Us on Facebook

She has been battling breast cancer for seven years now and had been through numerous sessions of chemotherapy before her illness metastasized to other parts of her body.

In 2009, the mother of two decided to discontinue chemotherapy and instead explored natural treatments during which she stumbled upon a website boasting of Gammill's "Natural Oncology Institue."

Desperate enough to finally be free of cancer, Fern wasted no time and traveled to Richmond, CA to sign for treatments which costed her $2,000.

After having spent two days at Gammill's facility, Fern realized that the treatment was possibly a scam. The phony doctor had been giving her empty capsules and expired drugs that could worsen her already sick condition. She immediately canceled the treatment and went home to call the cops, Times Gazette has learned.

Investigators later confirmed Fern's suspicion that Gammill did not have any medical training that allows him to legally practice as an oncologist.

Authorities had recovered equipments and bottles with "poisonous" and "corrosive" labels; more than 25,000 prescription pills, which included morphine, ambien, steroids and other formulations of Mexican and Russian origin from his house that doubled as his laboratory.

Furthermore, police investigators did not see any indicators that Gammill had any formal medical training or was certified to offer such medical services.

Gammill was arrested on Jull 9 following the cop's investigation and discovery. He initially admitted to officers that the most education he had was high school, but later changed his statement saying he got a medical degree in the early '90s.

He is already booked into the Contra Costa County jail for practicing without license, prescribing dangerous drugs without license and dependent adult abuse. Gammill is set to appear in the Ventura County Superior Court on August 31, The Market Business reported.

TagsCancer, doctor, fake oncologist, Chemotherapy, alternative medicine