Protect Yourself: Top 5 Scams in Medical Records Sector
TL/DR –
The healthcare industry is increasingly facing threats from scammers seeking to steal information through simple tasks, according to a warning by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). In a scam identified by CMS, medical records requests are faxed to providers. CMS advises that scams can often be identified by requests directing records to unfamiliar fax numbers or addresses, references to Medicare.gov or @Medicare (.gov), or stating a need to “update insurance accordingly”, and can also be spotted through poor grammar, misspellings, incorrect phone numbers, skewed logos, and cut and pasted graphics.
Medical Record Scams Pose Growing Threat to Healthcare Industry
The health care sector in the digital era is increasingly facing threats from scammers who exploit routine tasks to pilfer information from unsuspecting employees. All covered entities, providers, health plans, and their business associates need to be alert about a new scam targeting medical records departments. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a warning about this scam in their June 20, 2024 release.
Details of the New Medical Records Scam
CMS has discovered a scam where requests for medical records are faxed to providers. The illustrative example of the scam request can be found on their website.
How to Identify a Scam Request, According to CMS:
- If the request directs you to send records to an unknown fax number or address;
- If the request references Medicare.gov or @Medicare (.gov); or
- If the request states that they need records to \”update insurance accordingly.\”
CMS also notes that scams can be identified by looking for these signs:
- Poor grammar, misspelled words, or odd phrasing;
- Incorrect phone numbers;
- Distorted or outdated logos; or
- Graphics that appear to be copied and pasted.
Healthcare providers, health plans, and their vendors need to be diligent in verifying the authenticity of medical records requests. Adopting verification protocols can greatly reduce the risk of falling victim to these scams. If you need assistance on how to safeguard against medical record scams, consult with Alisa L. Chestler or a member of Baker Donelson’s Data Protection, Privacy and Cybersecurity Group.
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