Many of the scams and identity theft schemes about which I report are matters that come to my attention when they are directed at me among others and today’s scam is one of those.  I recently got an email that informed me, by name, that I would now be able to communicate with my primary care physician electronically and be able to ask questions and get prescription refills and referrals conveniently online.  I was provided a link to click on to start accessing this new service.  The only problem was that it was a scam and had I clicked on the link, I would have risked identity theft and downloading malware to my computer.

TIPS

Even though the era of electronic communications with physicians is certainly coming, it is by no means generally here yet.  I was skeptical when I got the email because although my name was contained in the email, the only reference to my physician was”your doctor’s office” without his name.  I called my physician’s office at a telephone number that I knew was accurate and was told that they were not particpating in such a program.  If you receive such an email, that is exactly what you should do as well.