Blue Cross customers face email scams
Posted by CENTURY HEARING
ATLANTA (WXIA) -- A huge nationwide security breach at the country's number two health insurer, Anthem, may have a major impact on subscribers in Georgia. Anthem is the parent company to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia.
Anthem says says hackers are pushing an email scam that may further expose customer's information. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia is still trying to determine how many customers' personal information -- social security numbers, email addresses, birth dates and employment information -- may have been stolen in a nationwide cyberattack.
"The guy said that I owed back taxes and they were going to arrest me," said Blue Cross Blue Shield customer John Fitzgivens. "I had to get a money order, and the moment he said that, I knew it was a scam."
For Fitzgivens, the email he received was just the beginning.
"Got an email from both Target and Home Depot telling me they had a data breach, standard things when these things happen," he said.
Fitzgivens said he took immediate precautions to safeguard his identity.
"I bought a safe to put in all my documents that have anything do with my ID, then I immediately put all three credit bureaus on a security freeze," he said. "I have to check my IRS records constantly, as well as my social security, and I run credit reports on myself all three credit bureaus at least once a month."
Now, for Fitzgivens and thousands of others, there is a new security scare. This one takes the threat to another level.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia says it may be a lot more than a massive security breach. Hackers who got access to email address are reportedly now sending scam emails to victims asking for more information.
The health care provider is warning subscribers not to open any emails that say they are from Blue Cross Blue Shield and do not open attachments. Customers should delete them right away.
The company says it is using the U.S. Mail, and not emails to reach out to its customers.
Anthem says says hackers are pushing an email scam that may further expose customer's information. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia is still trying to determine how many customers' personal information -- social security numbers, email addresses, birth dates and employment information -- may have been stolen in a nationwide cyberattack.
"The guy said that I owed back taxes and they were going to arrest me," said Blue Cross Blue Shield customer John Fitzgivens. "I had to get a money order, and the moment he said that, I knew it was a scam."
For Fitzgivens, the email he received was just the beginning.
"Got an email from both Target and Home Depot telling me they had a data breach, standard things when these things happen," he said.
Fitzgivens said he took immediate precautions to safeguard his identity.
"I bought a safe to put in all my documents that have anything do with my ID, then I immediately put all three credit bureaus on a security freeze," he said. "I have to check my IRS records constantly, as well as my social security, and I run credit reports on myself all three credit bureaus at least once a month."
Now, for Fitzgivens and thousands of others, there is a new security scare. This one takes the threat to another level.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia says it may be a lot more than a massive security breach. Hackers who got access to email address are reportedly now sending scam emails to victims asking for more information.
The health care provider is warning subscribers not to open any emails that say they are from Blue Cross Blue Shield and do not open attachments. Customers should delete them right away.
The company says it is using the U.S. Mail, and not emails to reach out to its customers.
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