Don't Get Caught by a Phisher: Learn To Spot Common Scams

Cybercriminals use a variety of tricks to steal people's information or money, and they often target health care organizations and the people who work for them. Here are a couple of common scams to watch out for:

Gift Card Scams

Scammers will send email posing as your supervisor, asking that you purchase one or more gift cards, and they’ll pay you back. These emails will come with a sense of urgency, telling you that the purchase must be made immediately.  Things to know:

• If you get a call like this, call the person who allegedly sent the email using a known number to see if they actually sent it.
• If you can’t reach your supervisor right away, wait until you hear back from them; the chances that it’s a scam are far greater than a legitimate email.
• Read more about gift card scams on the FTC website here.

Social Security Number Scams

In this scam, you get a call from someone claiming to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA), saying that your Social Security Number (SSN) was linked in a crime and has been blocked. The caller says that to unblock your number, you’ll need to provide your current one and pay a a fee to reactivate it. Things to know:

• The SSA will never call and ask for your SSN.
• Never give your SSN to anyone who calls you, not even the last 4 digits.
• If receive one of these calls, you can report it by calling the SSA at 800-772-1213.
• Read more about SSN scams on the FTC website here.

Unemployment Benefit Scams

Imposters are filing false claims for unemployment benefits, using people's personal information.  Often, people learn about the fraud when they receive a notice (usually in U.S. postal mail) from their state agency for unemployment benefits. Here's what to do if this happens to you:

• Report the fraud to Human Resources at 800-599-2537 or hrservicecenter@carilionclinic.org.
• Report the fraud to your state unemployment benefits agency.
• Visit IdentityTheft.gov to report the fraud to the FTC.
• Review your credit reports often, which can help you spot fraud early.
• Read more about SSN scams on the FTC website here.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. To learn steps you can take to #BeCyberSmart, check out this infographic from the Department of Health and Human Services and download the cybersecurity flyers at the bottom of this page.

For More Information

Visit the TSG hub for more information about phishing and how to spot a suspicious email. If you receive a suspected phishing email at your Carilion email address, click the "Report Phish" button in Outlook to report it to our Information Security team.