SAN ANTONIO: Medicare beneficiaries are being warned about a new phishing campaign that uses the familiar MyChart name and branding to make fraudulent messages appear legitimate.
University Health has alerted patients to scam emails and text messages carrying subject lines such as “Your MyChart Medicare Kit Awaits” and “Here’s your senior package.” The messages reportedly promote free products or services and encourage recipients to click on embedded links.
Officials say the links can lead victims to fraudulent websites designed to collect sensitive personal information. Once obtained, such details could potentially be misused for identity theft or other forms of fraud.
The campaign is not limited to San Antonio and is reportedly circulating across the United States. University Health said it has not received information indicating that any of its patients have fallen victim to the scam so far.
To increase awareness, the healthcare system has placed a warning on its website and is urging patients, particularly seniors, to be cautious when receiving unexpected Medicare-related communications.
Scammers often rely on trusted healthcare brands to make phishing attempts appear genuine. However, University Health stressed that patients should not assume a message is legitimate simply because it carries the MyChart or Epic name.
Recipients should inspect the sender’s email address and the website URL before taking any action. Unexpected offers of free healthcare-related products or services should also be treated as a warning sign.
Safety Tips:
- Do not click links in unexpected Medicare or MyChart messages.
- Check the sender’s email address carefully.
- Examine the URL before entering personal information.
- Be suspicious of unsolicited “free” offers.
- When in doubt, contact your healthcare provider through its official website or phone number.
The warning comes as phishing scams increasingly exploit trusted healthcare platforms to target patients and obtain sensitive information.
