Anthem on Friday further reported that members who may have been impacted by the cyber attack should be aware of scam email campaigns apparently designed to target the insurer’s customers. Email messages seeking to capture personal information through a tactic known as ‘phishing’ may appear to be legitimate — but were NOT sent by Anthem to any of its customers.
Members receiving email messages that appear to be from Anthem are warned:
- NOT to click on any links in suspicious email;
- NOT to reply to the email or reach out to the senders in any way;
- NOT to supply any information on the website that may open, if you clicked on a link in email; &
- NOT to open any attachments that arrive with email.
Click here to learn more about ‘phishing’ from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Instead, Anthem has advised that current and former customers will be contacted via U.S. Postal Service mail about the cyber attack. Included will be specific information on how affected members can enroll in free credit monitoring and ID protection services.
Attorney General George Jepsen has encouraged customers who may be affected by the breach to report suspicious activity on their credit report or other financial accounts to law enforcement authorities. The Attorney General’s Privacy Task Force can be reached at (860) 808-5318.
Click here to send email to the Attorney General’s Office.
The state’s Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) is further suggesting members who may have been affected to immediately change their passwords and personal ID numbers. The department on Friday created a webpage to provide additional help and guidance in the aftermath of the massive cyber attack on the nation’s second largest health insurer.
Click here for the DCP’s “Anthem Advice” information and resources.
The Department of Revenue Services (DRS) also on Friday advised those who may have been affected and who expect income tax refunds to file their 2014 returns as soon as possible. The commissioner of DRS warned that the “personally identifiable information apparently hacked at Anthem is exactly what tax fraud thieves use to make false refund claims that appear to be legitimate.”
Click here to read DRS’ public statement on the risk of tax fraud.
Members while awaiting further correspondence from Anthem may obtain a free report provided by the nation’s leading credit agencies by calling, toll-free, (877) 322-8228.
Click here to learn more about requesting a free credit report.
