High riskEmail Scams

Patient Portal Email Scam

This scam emails that you have new test results, a medical bill, or a required portal verification, linking to a fake patient-portal login that captures your health, identity, and payment details.

Quick verdict

Risk level
High risk
Scam type
Healthcare impersonation phishing
Main red flag
An email pushing you to log in to a health or patient portal via a link.
What to do first
Log in through your provider's official patient portal you normally use.

What this scam usually looks like

This scam emails that you have new test results, a medical bill, or a required portal verification, linking to a fake patient-portal login that captures your health, identity, and payment details.

Example message pattern

Example pattern — not a real report
Example pattern: 'You have new test results available. Log in to your patient portal to view them: [suspicious link]'

This is a fictional, anonymised example used to illustrate the pattern. It is not a verified real message, and any names are used only to show how the scam typically reads.

Red flags to watch for

  • A results, bill, or verification alert with a login link
  • A login page that is not your provider's official portal
  • Pressure to view results urgently
  • A sender that is external or slightly off
  • Requests for health, identity, or payment details

What to do

  • Log in through your provider's official patient portal directly
  • Verify any notice with your provider's office
  • Report the email as phishing and delete it
  • Enable two-factor authentication where available

If you already clicked or replied

  • If you entered your login, change it immediately from a trusted device
  • Contact your provider and monitor for misuse of your health data
  • If you entered card details, contact your bank
  • Update the password anywhere you reused it

What not to do

  • Do not log in through portal links in emails
  • Do not share health, identity, or card details via the link
  • Do not let urgency rush you

Similar scams

Frequently asked questions

Does my provider email login links to results?
Results and bills are accessed by logging in to the official patient portal directly. An email pushing you to log in via a link is a phishing sign.
Why is health data targeted?
Health and identity data are highly valuable for fraud and identity theft, and worry about results makes people click quickly.
I entered my login. What now?
Change your password from a trusted device, contact your provider, monitor for misuse of your data, and contact your bank if you shared card details.
How do I check results safely?
Open your provider's official patient portal directly, and verify any notice with the provider's office.

Last reviewed: June 2026

Disclaimer: This page provides educational information only to help you recognise common scam patterns. It is not legal, financial, cybersecurity, or law enforcement advice, and it does not confirm whether any specific message, company, or person is genuine or fraudulent. When in doubt, contact the official organisation directly and report concerns to your local authorities.