Good day to all Global Team Members,
As part of this month’s Continuing Privacy and Security Training (“CPST”), the Compliance Team wanted to provide you with important information related to Phishing Attempts and Gift Card Scams. We have noticed a recent increase in Phishing/Gift Card Scam attempts just this week with these attacks coming through as text messages to cell phones and tablets, as emails to other devices, or as telephone calls. With the Holiday Season upon us, please be very careful to avoid being scammed.
What Gift Card Scams Look Like
Gift cards are popular with scammers because they’re easy for people to find and buy, and they have fewer protections for buyers. Gift cards are more like cash: once you use the card, the money on it is gone. Scammers like this.
No one from eHealth Technologies will ask you to purchase a gift card. If someone contacts you by phone, text message, or email, saying they are an eHealth Technologies employee (i.e., CEO, your manager or supervisor) and asks that you purchase a gift card and forward them the gift card number, you can bet that a scammer is behind that communication, and you are being phished. Please note that once a scammer has the gift card number and the PIN, they have your money. Scammers may tell you many stories to get you to send them gift card information, including that they are stranded and without money, or that there is an outstanding vendor debt that must be paid immediately, but do not fall for it; it is a scam.
This is what usually happens:
- The caller/texter says it’s urgent and related to eHealth Technologies. The scammer says you have to buy a gift card right away or something terrible will happen. But you don’t, and it won’t.
- The caller usually tells you which gift card to buy. They might say to put money on an Amazon, Target, or iTunes gift card. They might send you to a specific store — often Walmart, Target, CVS, or Walgreens. Sometimes they say to buy cards at several stores, so cashiers won’t get suspicious. The caller might stay on the phone with you while you go to the store and load money onto the card. These are all signs of a scam.
- The caller asks you for the gift card number and PIN. The card number and PIN on the back of the card let the scammer get the money you loaded onto the card. And the scammer gets it right away.
- Scammers pretend to be someone they are not to convince you to pay/send gift cards. They want to scare or pressure you into acting quickly, so you don’t have time to think or talk to someone you trust. Please be very careful.
Various types of gift card fraud schemes.
Here’s a list of common gift card scams and phishing schemes that have been reported:
- The caller says they’re from the government — maybe the IRS or the Social Security Administration. They say you have to pay taxes or a fine, but it’s a scam.
- Someone calls from tech support, maybe saying they’re from Apple or Microsoft, saying there’s something wrong with your computer. But it’s a lie.
- The scammer pretends to be a co-worker, friend, or family member in an emergency and asks you to send money right away — but not tell anyone. This is a scam. If you’re worried, hang up and call your co-worker, friend or relative to check that everything is all right.
- Someone says you’ve won a prize but first, you have to pay fees or other charges with a gift card. Remember: no honest business or agency will ever make you pay with a gift card.
- The caller says she’s from your power company, or another utility company. She threatens to cut off your service if you don’t pay immediately. But utility companies don’t work that way. It’s a scam.
- You get a check from someone for way more than you expected. They tell you to deposit the check, then give them the difference on a gift card. But that check will be fake and you’ll be out all that money.
How to prevent being scammed
Remember that if you are purchasing a gift card for yourself or to give as a personal gift, you should follow these best practices:
- Buy gift cards from sources you know and trust and avoid buying gift cards from online auction sites, because these cards may be counterfeit or stolen.
- Inspect a gift card before you buy it. Check that none of the protective stickers have been removed. Make sure that the codes on the back of the card haven’t been scratched off to show the PIN number. Report any damaged cards to the store selling the cards.
- Keep the receipt with the gift card. Whether you’re giving or getting, try to keep the original purchase receipt, or the card’s ID number, with the gift card.
- Use the card as soon as you can. It’s not unusual to misplace gift cards or forget you have them. Using them early will help you get the full value.
Once again, no one from eHealth Technologies will ask you to purchase a gift card. Please do not fall for this phishing scam.
eHealth Technologies is committed to building strong procedures and security policies that will help safeguard patient data and protect confidential information. Remember, this December 2022 CPST email is in addition to your other training requirements at eHealth Technologies and contains helpful tips, training points, and/or legal updates under the HIPAA Privacy Rule and Security Rule, and the HITECH Act. As always, please let the Compliance Team know if you have any questions on the privacy and security of Covered Information, including PHI, ePHI, and other Confidential Information.
Thank you for the good work that you do for the patients we serve.
Wishing you and your family a safe and enjoyable Holiday Season and Happy New Year.
Your eHealth Technologies Compliance Team