Incident Regarding Email Phishing Affects Employees of Main Line Health

The IRS and FBI are now probing a spear phishing scam, which exposes every employee of Main Line Health at risk for theft of their identities. IRS issued a national alert on Tuesday, informing Main Line Health about a recent flow of email scam. Cyber criminals use to collect personal information from organisations and companies through a tactic of spear phishing. Main Line Health along with Paoli hospitals and Bryn Mawr, which runs Lankenau in Wynnewood, learned of the spear phishing in tough way.

"Spear phishing" happens when a scammer pretending to be someone known to the recipient, asks for personal information. In this case, an employee received an email on February 16th from a person, who pretended to be an executive of Main Line Health, and sent him/her all personal information of all employees except patients.

Jack Lynch, CEO and President of Main Line Health, said that the security and safety of employees of Main Line Health is their priority, and they are providing maximum support to their employees during this crisis.

Main Line did not disclose what type of personal information was released, or what was the content of the email. It only announced about the breach of privacy after IRS sent out a general alert on Tuesday, about this type of scam sent to employees.

Lynch said, "we are presently reviewing internal procedures and policies to find out ways to improve safeguards in preventing this type of incidents in future. Identity theft and other kind of electronic fraud have become more prevalent, and I want to request our colleagues of other health care organisations and our regional business partners to take action immediately to teach their employees against phishing attempts" as posted by fox29.com on March 2nd, 2016.

Officials confirmed that they are cooperating with the investigation.

Officials said that many resources have been set up for the support for employee including an information call center. Main Line Health is also providing credit monitoring services to all employees. Officials confirmed that no information about patients was released.

» SPAMfighter News - 3/11/2016