The data: About one-quarter of US consumers said they received suspicious or “scam” healthcare messages in the past month related to their medical care or insurance, according to a recent Tebra survey.

• Fraudulent messages are sent via a range of channels, including text (34%), email (31%), and phone call (20%).
• Insurance/coverage issues (58%), unpaid bills (43%), and updates to Medicare or Medicaid (41%) are the most common topics used in fake healthcare messages.

Why it matters: As consumers engage providers and insurers across more channels, the risk of phishing and other cybercrimes rises. Messages from cybercriminals can seem convincing by using technical medical or insurance language, or by referencing familiar details such as the name of a hospital or clinic, per Tebra’s survey.

Bad actors often aim to steal personal information or obtain money, which can have a wide-ranging impact on patients and doctors alike.

• 34% of consumers who received healthcare scam messages said it increased anxiety or stress, while 22% said it caused confusion about which messages are legitimate.
• About 5% reported losing money to a healthcare-related scam.
• Providers interviewed by Tebra said they worry fraudulent messages will erode patient trust in healthcare communications (53%), cause financial harm (50%), and lead patients to ignore legitimate messages from doctors’ offices (45%).
• 23% of providers said scams have caused patients to miss appointments.

Implications for healthcare companies and marketers: Hospitals, medical practices, and health plans should proactively ask patients about their communication preferences, use those channels consistently so messages arrive in expected formats, and always offer the option to connect through a secure patient portal or to call a verified phone number with questions. Marketers at providers and insurers should also periodically give consumers guidance on spotting fraudulent messages, with clear instructions on what never to do—such as sharing sensitive health information or sending money.

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