With Kathryn (Katie) Dever, JD, MBA, CHC, Tryon Medical Partners
Our health is the most important asset we have, and yet even that might not be safe from the possibility of a scam. Whether through deceptive advertising, harrassing calls, or identity theft, these scams not only prey on people’s fears and insecurities but also jeopardize their well-being and financial security.
Tryon Medical Partners Director of Compliance and Privacy, Katie Dever, sheds light on common tactics used by fraudsters and scammers, and provides essential tips on how to safeguard oneself against falling victim to these schemes. Understanding these tactics is crucial for navigating the healthcare landscape safely and ensuring that you can access important and necessary care without fear of being scammed.
1. Know if you’re especially vulnerable
Katie shares that, as a general rule, older patients (65+) are at a higher risk of scams in a healthcare setting because they are generally more likely to have chronic illness and need ongoing treatment or medical equipment. Bad actors have figured out that their claims for “fake” medical services are more likely to fly under the radar when a patient has a chronic or serious condition that may require more care.
If you’re on Medicare, this increases your likelihood of being scammed as well. Scammers have frequently been known to try and get critical patient information directly from patients in order to file fake claims so the scammer can get paid from Medicare (or even commercial insurance).
2. Proceed with caution if someone asks for certain information
Katie notes that often scammers will claim to be from a doctor’s office like Tryon or from Medicare in order to gain access to secure information. WhenTryon or Medicare calls, they will confirm your identity with your name and date of birth. Proceed with caution if someone claiming to be from your healthcare office or Medicare calls and asks for your:
- Social security number
- Medicare number
- Portal login password
“Medicare is not going to call you and ask for your social security number or Medicare number,” Katie cautions. “Similarly, Tryon will never call you asking for your patient portal password. If they do, that should raise a red flag.”
Another way to keep your data secure is being wary of QR codes and text messages from unknown numbers. Some scammers will use QR codes to infiltrate a mobile device. In order to stay secure, never scan a QR code from an unknown source. Similarly, think twice before clicking on a link you receive in a text message from someone claiming to be healthcare-related. Medicare won’t generally send any text messages with links, so this may be a sign of something unsafe. (Note: If you use our secure MedChat feature, Tryon will text you a personalized link in order to access the secure chat function. This is another way Tryon is working to keep your patient information secure!)
3. Double check – better safe than sorry
A good general rule is to trust your instincts. Katie offers some useful advice: “If you get the impression the person may not be from Tryon, tell them you’ll need to call them back and ask for a name and a call back number. If they are trying to scam, they’ll give it up at that point.”
If you have an interaction that feels odd after the fact, it never hurts to give Tryon or Medicare a call to check and confirm whether or not they called you. If they don’t have evidence of someone calling you, it tips them off about the scam and gives you the opportunity to report the scam and take any additional preventative measures.
4. Save phone numbers and emails to your devices for future reference
In order to protect yourself from any future scams, Katie recommends the following tips:
- Save the phone numbers of your clinics and other healthcare locations you frequent so that you have the numbers in your contacts the next time they call and you feel safe and secure taking it.
- Double check emails from healthcare-related providers. Check who the sender is by hovering over the email address, consider whether or not it makes sense for you to be getting the email, and scan for misspellings and grammar errors.
“It’s important for patients to feel secure in communicating with Tryon about their healthcare needs,” Katie shares. “Tryon Medical Partners is doing what we can to keep patient data secure, and we want them to feel empowered to protect themselves, too.”
If you want to learn more about data privacy at Tryon, visit the Privacy webpage or contact the privacy office.