Sign out
Your privacy and security are important to us. That’s why we’re here to help you recognize and avoid online scams.
It’s important to know Kaiser Permanente will never sell or share members’ personal, financial, or medical information. And we’ll only contact you about billing issues or services you’ve received at Kaiser Permanente.
We’re aware you may occasionally get suspicious phone calls, texts, website links, or emails from people claiming to represent Kaiser Permanente. They may claim to work for Kaiser Permanente and ask for sensitive personal information, like your Social Security number or financial information.
What these scammers are doing is illegal. They’re not Kaiser Permanente employees and have no connection to Kaiser Permanente. Please review the information below to help protect yourself, your loved ones, and your community.
How to spot email and phone scams
Spotting fraudulent emails, phone calls, and texts can be difficult. Scammers are always finding new ways to try to get your personal information. But there are some signs that can help you identify a scam. For example, they often involve:
- Calls, emails, or texts you aren’t expecting
- Unusual requests for payments using gift cards, bitcoin, or non–Kaiser Permanente websites
- Threats that you’ll lose your Kaiser Permanente membership if you don’t pay immediately
- Claims that Kaiser Permanente has lost your security information and needs you to update it online
- Requests for sensitive personal information, like your Social Security number
How to protect yourself
Always pay your bill securely — for example, with your kp.org account. It’s easy to view and pay your bills on kp.org or with the Kaiser Permanente mobile app.
If you get a call, text, or email from someone claiming to work for Kaiser Permanente but you’re not sure of their identity, don’t share any personal information. Hang up or delete the text or email. Contact Member Services online or by calling the number on the back of your member ID card.
If you get a suspicious email claiming to be from Kaiser Permanente, don’t click on any links or reply to it. If you’re a Kaiser Permanente member, you can report suspicious emails to Member Services. There’s no harm in reporting a message you think may be a phishing email, even if it isn’t.
Types of online scams
When you know what to watch for, it’s easier to recognize possible scams and help protect yourself. Here are some common scams used by fraudsters online.
Spoofing
With spoofing, callers deliberately fake their caller ID information to hide their identity. Like other scams, spoofing is designed to catch you off guard, so you’re more likely to share valuable information.
Calls may seem to come from a trusted source, like your local police department or health care facility. But they’re actually from someone trying to get money or personal information that can be used to commit fraud. Companies can’t prevent spoofing, so it’s important to know how it works.
Phishing
Phishing is email fraud where scammers send emails that look legitimate to get personal and financial information. The emails look like they come from well-known and trustworthy sources, like a bank, a credit card company, a health care organization, or even your doctor.
Phishing emails often link to real websites and include some real phone numbers to make them look legitimate. But they also link to fake websites that collect information used to commit fraud.
Vishing
Vishing is short for “voice phishing.” It’s a new take on phishing. There are a couple of common vishing schemes to look out for:
- The scammer sends you an email. But instead of asking you to click on a link, they give you a phone number to call and ask you to give information over the phone. The phone number looks and sounds legitimate. When you call, you’re led through a series of voice-prompted menus that ask for account numbers, passwords, and other sensitive information. This information is being collected and recorded for illegal use.
- The scammer calls you. The call could be a recorded message or a live person telling you to take action to protect your account. Often, the scammer already has some personal information about you, like your account or credit card number. They’ll read these numbers to you to give you a false sense of security, making you more likely to give them personal information.
What to do if you give information to a scammer
If you think you were targeted by a scam and provided personal information — like your Social Security number or financial details — we recommend you take these steps:
- Change your PIN codes and passwords immediately.
- Contact your banks and creditors by phone and in writing to report the crime.
- Contact local authorities and file a police report.
- Call the fraud unit of one of the major credit bureaus. Ask them to place a fraud alert on your credit file and start a security freeze to prevent anyone from opening new accounts with creditors who require a credit score or credit report.
- If you think you may have tax issues because someone stole your identity, visit the IRS identity theft center or call 1-800-908-4490.
- Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission.
Always remember that we’ll only contact you about billing issues or services you received from Kaiser Permanente. If you’re contacted about anything else, be suspicious. And if you get a call, text, email, or bill that seems suspicious in any way, don’t share your personal information.
Please also remember that we never sell or provide our members’ personal, financial, or medical information to organizations outside Kaiser Permanente. Learn more at the Federal Communications Commission website.