WASHINGTON (TNND) — MyChart, the online medical portal company, is warning patients of a recent uptick in phishing scams over the past two weeks. Scammers are using the logo to create emails, text messages, phone calls and websites to get patients to give up their personal information.
The company said portal notifications will always include a doctor or healthcare provider. About 190 million patients use the portal worldwide.
WASHINGTON, DC – DECEMBER 14: Five doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine that received emergency use authorization are seen before they are distributed to doctors and nurses at George Washington University Hospital on December 14, 2020 in Washington, DC. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams will observe hospital workers being vaccinated. (Photo by Jacquelyn Martin-Pool/Getty Images)
In one phishing scam, an email is sent to patients encouraging them to click a link leading to medical results. If you click the link, it takes patients to a fake login page and may take you to another page with an urgent warning about critical blood work. The scam then exposes your computer to malware or tricks you into giving up personal information.
“f you are unsure if an email is real, do not click any links or buttons in the email. Instead, open MyChart using the mobile app or the official URL for your organization’s MyChart website,” the company said.
Another scam is an email that says “You’ve been selected” for a 2026 Medicare Health Kit. Gizmodo obtained 166 FTC complaints on MyChart spanning five years through a Freedom of Information Act Request. Not all of them relate to phishing scams.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday also warned patients to stay aware.
“Scammers are always looking for new ways to obtain as much of your personal information as possible,” Sunday said. “Stay on the lookout for this new scam tactic, and contact your medical office if you’re not sure how to access the MyChart website assigned to your providers.”