HARTFORD - Connecticut residents who may have been impacted by the cyber-attack against Anthem, should be aware of scam email campaigns targeting current and former Anthem members.

These scams, designed to capture personal information (known as “phishing”) are designed to appear as if they are from Anthem and the emails include a “click here” link for credit monitoring.

These emails are NOT from Anthem.

* DO NOT click on any links in email.

* DO NOT reply to the email or reach out to the senders in any way.

* DO NOT supply any information on the website that may open, if you have clicked on a link in email.

* DO NOT open any attachments that arrive with email.

Anthem is not calling Connecticut members regarding the cyber-attack and is not asking for credit card information or social security numbers over the phone.

This outreach is from scam artists who are trying to trick consumers into sharing personal data. There is no indication that the scam email campaigns are being conducted by those that committed the cyber-attack, or that the information accessed in the attack is being used by the scammers.

Anthem will contact current and former members via mail delivered by the U.S. Postal Service about the cyber-attack with specific information on how to enroll in credit monitoring.

The Department of Consumer Protection has additional suggestions for Anthem customers concerned about protecting themselves in the wake of the company’s data breach this week. 

“While more information about the scope and depth of the data loss will become available in time, it’s important that consumers understand what they need to look for,” Consumer Protection Commissioner Jonathan A. Harris said today. “The breach of medical and health insurance information requires Anthem customers to watch not only their financial accounts, but health care statements as well.”

In September 2014, Reuters reported that medical information is “worth 10 times more than credit card number[s] on the black market,” and that cyber- criminals are increasingly targeting the $3 trillion U.S. healthcare industry.

Anthem has reported that customer information going back at least five years may be part of the data breach.

What This Means

Theft of medical record information can affect you in a number of ways. A thief may use your name or health insurance numbers to see a doctor, get prescription drugs, file claims with your insurance provider, or get other care. If a thief’s health information is mixed with yours, your own medical treatment, insurance and payment records, and credit report could be affected.

What To Watch

Starting now, customers should check not only their credit reports and financial statements carefully, but also medical and insurance statements, including the Explanation of Benefits statements; they will show warning signs of misuse.

Review the name of the provider, the date of service, and the service provided. Do the claims paid match  the care you received? If you see a mistake, contact your Anthem immediately and report the problem. You also may want to follow these steps from the Federal Trade Commission -- http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0171-medical-identity-theft#Correcting

Other warning signs:

[naviga:ul][naviga:li]· a bill for medical services you didn’t receive  or a call from a debt collector about a medical debt you don’t owe[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]· medical collection notices on your credit report that you don’t recognize[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]· a notice from your health plan saying you reached your benefit limit[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]· a denial of insurance because your medical records show a condition you don’t have[/naviga:li]

[/naviga:ul]

In the wake of this and any data breach, don’t get hooked by a “phishing” scheme. Delete email or text messages that ask you to confirm or provide personal information. The sender may even try to prove they are legitimate by including some personal information  about you in their message. Chances are this information was stolen as part of a data breach. Legitimate companies DO NOT ask for sensitive personal data via email or text.

For more information from the Department of Consumer Protection, visit  www.ct.gov/AnthemAdvice. Suspicious activity should be reported to the Office of the Attorney General's Privacy Task Force by emailing attorney.general@ct.gov or calling 860-808-5318. Anthem has a designated website for consumers with immediate questions about the breach at: http://www.anthemfacts.com/.