Our employees continue to be the target of scammers and cyber criminals through fear and intimidation tactics. It’s important that you take adequate steps protect the personal information of yourself, your colleagues, and our patients.
Below are some examples of scams experienced by our employees:
- Caller claims a provider missed an expert testimony at a local courthouse. The call then claims that money is needed from the employee to secure bonds
- Unexpected calls or text messages stating they are from a government entity that requires payment related to court proceedings
- Various phishing emails (emails designed to trick people into giving out personal information, such as credit card numbers, usernames and passwords, or Social Security numbers)
The American Hospital Association has also shared that a FBI report details a criminal scheme targeting the health care sector where scammers call licensed medical professionals and suggest their professional licenses are connected to ongoing criminal investigations. The callers then request the provider liquidate their assets to pay thousands of dollars as part of the investigation.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has warned of a widespread fraud scheme in which scammers are posing as DEA agents. Scammers call physicians and other medical professionals demanding money and threatening jail and revocation of medical licenses. DEA personnel will never contact members of the public or medical practitioners to demand money or any other form of payment, will never request personal or sensitive information, and will only notify people of a legitimate investigation or legal action in person or by official letter. No legitimate federal law enforcement officer will demand cash or gift cards from a member of the public.
Trust your instincts
If a call feels illegitimate, simply hang up. If you receive a suspicious email, report it to the UI Phishing team.
Questions? Contact the HCIS Help Desk at helpdesk-hcis@uiowa.edu or 319-356-0001.