In this issue:

• Threat of the week: FBI warning about criminals posing as health insurers / authorities

• 6 million Qantas Airlines customers data breach

• Let me know if there’s a topic you want me to cover

FBI warning: Criminals posing as health insurers / authorities

All the data breaches from health insurance companies and doctors' offices have given criminals a lot of information about patients and the services they have received.

The FBI has issued a new warning that criminals are now using information to pose as legitimate health insurers and fraud investigators to scam and threaten you.

The warning states: "These criminals are sending emails and text messages to patients and health care providers, disguising them as legitimate communications from trusted health care authorities. The messages are designed to pressure victims into disclosing protected health information, medical records, personal financial details, or providing reimbursements for alleged service overpayments or non-covered services."

Tips to protect yourself as suggested in the FBI warning:

• Be suspicious of unsolicited messages emails, texts, and calls requesting personal information.

• Never click on links that are included in suspicious and/or unsolicited emails.

• Always contact your health insurance provider directly to verify the legitimacy of any messages before sharing personal or health care information.

If you need to search for the provider's website, don't click on any sponsored / advertisement links you find in web searches because there are many criminals creating advertisements to pose as legitimate companies. Only use the phone number on your insurance cards and in official websites for your health care providers.

6 million Qantas Airlines customers data breach

Another very large data breach has occurred, this time in the land down under. If you have a Qantas Airline frequent flyer number, your data has been stolen along with 6 million other customers.

The personal information accessed included names, email addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, and frequent flyer numbers. Luckily no credit card details, financial information, or passport data were accessed.

Potential risks to Qantas customers:

• Phishing and scam attempts: Armed with your name, email, phone number, and frequent flyer number, scammers might send very convincing fake messages pretending to be Qantas.

• Misuse of Frequent Flyer numbers: Though your account credentials may be safe and protected by multi-factor authentication, exposure of your frequent flyer number could lead to unauthorized points redemption attempts.

• Identity theft potential: Full names + birth dates + contact details can be used to build your identity profile and target you with future scams or impersonation. Freeze your credit information at the three main credit bureaus to reduce the risk of identity theft.

I guess I'm fortunate that I didn't have any data loss from this breach because I've never flown Qantas, but unfortunate that I haven't had the opportunity yet to visit Australia. Keep safe!

Do you have an idea for a future newsletter? Please reply to this email and let me know.

Thank you so much!

Sincerely,
Cassie Crossley
Founder, Cyber Safe Center
https://www.cybersafecenter.com