The Federal Bureau of Investigation says a new scam is targeting the public in hopes of stealing private medical data.
A warning issued on June 27 says the criminals are sending emails and text messages to patients and health care providers. The messages are disguised to look like legitimate communications from trusted health care authorities.
The criminals use the messages to pressure targets into disclosing protected health information, medical records, and personal financial details. The criminals also attempt to trick targets into providing reimbursements for alleged service overpayments or non-covered services.
How to protect yourself from the scam
The FBI says you can take the following actions to protect yourself against the ongoing scam:
- Be suspicious of unsolicited messages, emails, texts, and calls requesting personal information.
- Never click on links that are included in suspicious and/or unsolicited emails.
- Use strong passwords and enable Multi-Factor Authentication for all accounts.
- Keep operating system software updated and use antivirus software on all devices.
- Always contact your health insurance provider directly to verify the legitimacy of any messages before sharing personal or health care information.
What to do if you are a target
The FBI asks that anyone who believes they are a target of the scam to report the matter to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. When filing the report, you’ll be asked to provide as much information as possible about the individual or company’s name, phone number, mailing or physical address, and email address.