Scammers use social media, phone calls, text messages, emails or websites to pretend to be healthcare organizations or healthcare providers. They may even use a real doctor’s name, photo or credentials to make a fake account or post look legitimate.
Knowing how Cleveland Clinic communicates with you can help you spot a scam and protect your personal and financial information.
If Something Doesn’t Seem Right
Not sure whether a communication is really from Cleveland Clinic or your healthcare provider? Look for these warning signs:
- Social media messages offering medical advice or treatment.
- Offers to sell you medication directly through social media or an unfamiliar website.
- Requests to move a conversation to WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger or another messaging app.
- Requests for money or personal, medical or financial information.
- Pressure to act quickly or respond right away.
- Unexpected links asking you to sign in, make a payment or provide sensitive information.
How To Check Whether a Message Is Really From Cleveland Clinic
If you aren’t sure about a communication, don’t respond, click a link or send money.
Instead, contact us using a way you already know is legitimate. You can sign in to your Cleveland Clinic MyChart account or find your provider’s office number on our website.
Don’t use the contact information or links in the suspicious communication to check whether it’s real.
Social media
You may see Cleveland Clinic and our healthcare providers on social media. But not every account using a provider’s name, photo or credentials is real.
Cleveland Clinic healthcare providers won’t use personal social media accounts to sell you medication or ask you for payment.
If you receive a message from someone claiming to be your provider, don’t respond. Contact your provider through MyChart or call their office directly.
Email and text messages
We often communicate with you by email or text. But scammers can imitate real messages, so be cautious about unexpected requests for personal information, payment, your username, password or other account information.
If you’re unsure whether a message is from us, don’t click any links in it. Go directly to MyChart or our website instead.
Phone calls
Scammers can manipulate caller ID so a call appears to come from a legitimate organization.
If a call seems suspicious, don’t share personal or financial information. End the call. Then contact your provider’s office or Cleveland Clinic using a phone number listed on our website.
If You Think Something Is a Scam
If you think someone may be impersonating Cleveland Clinic or one of our healthcare providers, stop communicating with them. Don’t send money or share personal, financial or medical information. If you received medication or another product from an unknown or unverified source, don’t use it. Talk with your healthcare provider about what to do next.
You can report suspected fraud to your local law enforcement agency, your state attorney general’s office and the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. You can also report internet-related scams to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.
