Medical Records Request Scam: Watch out for Phishing 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) identified a phishing scam for medical records, which may include scammers faxing fraudulent medical records requests, similar to this example. The goal is to get you to send the scammers your patient records.

When you review any requests, look for signs of a scam, including:

• Directing you to send records to an unfamiliar fax number or address.
• Referencing Medicare.gov or @Medicare (.gov).
• Indicating that records are need to “update insurance accordingly.” 

A scam request may include:

• Poor grammar, misspellings or strange wording.
• Incorrect phone numbers.
• Skewed or outdated logos.
• Graphics that have clearly been cut and pasted into the document.

If you suspect a request is fraudulent, work with your Medical Review Contractor to determine its validity. You may submit medical documentation through the Electronic Submission of Medical Documentation (esMD) system or CMS Medical Review Contractor secure internet portals, when available.