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As of late August 2026, roughly 20 Florida hospitals — including Tampa General and Tallahassee Memorial — have publicly warned patients about a MyChart phishing scam that impersonates Epic’s patient portal.
The scam targets seniors and Medicare beneficiaries with fake emails and text messages, and it is a sharp reminder that healthcare-branded phishing is one of the fastest-growing threats to both families and employers in South Florida.
Why the MyChart Phishing Scam Is Spreading
Attackers choose recognizable brands for a reason: trust. MyChart is one of the most widely used patient portals in the country, and most Floridians have used it at least once.
A MyChart phishing scam trades on that familiarity — the email looks like it came from your hospital, it references a portal you actually use, and the urgency p
ushes you to act before you think.
The messages seen in this wave often mention a “MyChart Senior Health Package,” Medicare-related wellness benefits, or a free health kit. Those hooks are deliberately chosen because seniors are more likely to click a link that appears to come from their own healthcare provider.
How the Scam Reaches Patients
The MyChart phishing scam typically arrives by email or text and follows the same skeleton:
- A fake “MyChart” sender address or display name that mimics the hospital
- A link or button asking you to confirm your address, verify insurance, or claim a benefit
- A login page that looks like the real portal but is hosted on an attacker-controlled domain
- Once you enter credentials, the attacker captures your MyChart password — and often your email and other personal data
Some Florida health systems, including Lee Health and Naples Comprehensive Health, have said they found no evidence their patients were harmed. Others are still investigating. Either way, the advice is the same: never follow a portal link from an unexpected email.
5 Warning Signs of a MyChart Phishing Scam
- It asks you to confirm information. Real portals never email you out of the blue to verify your address, insurance, or payment details.
- The sender address is slightly wrong. Check the full domain, not just the display name. “mychart-support.co” is not “mychart.com.”
- It creates urgency. “Claim your benefit before it expires” or “your account will be locked” is pressure, and pressure is a phishing tell.
- It offers something free. “Senior Health Package” and “free health kit” lures are the bait in this specific scam.
- The login page URL does not match the hospital’s portal. Hover over any link before clicking and compare the domain to the address you normally use.
What to Do If You Clicked
If you already entered credentials on a fake portal page:
- Change your MyChart password immediately — and change it on any other account that uses the same password.
- Contact your hospital’s real patient portal support line using the number on your insurance card or the hospital’s official website, not from the email.
- Report the message to the hospital and to the FTC.
- Watch for follow-on attacks: scammers often reuse captured credentials against email and bank accounts.
What This Means for South Florida Businesses
This is not only a consumer story. Every employee is also a patient, and the same credential-reuse habit that endangers a MyChart account endangers your company’s email, VPN, and accounting systems.
A single employee who reuses a password across accounts can turn a personal phishing hit into a business breach.
That is why security awareness training, multi-factor authentication, and email filtering belong in every SMB security stack. Nextek IT’s cybersecurity services include simulated phishing tests,
employee training, MFA enforcement, and 24/7 monitoring so your team knows a MyChart phishing scam when they see one — before anyone clicks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the MyChart phishing scam affecting hospitals in my area?
More than a dozen Florida health systems, including Tampa General, Tallahassee Memorial, Lee Health, and Naples Comprehensive Health, have issued warnings. The scam is statewide and still spreading, so treat any unsolicited portal email as suspicious.
Can a MyChart phishing scam infect my computer?
The main goal is credential theft rather than malware, but fake portals have been known to deliver malicious files. If you clicked a link or downloaded anything, scan your device with updated security software and contact your IT provider.
How can my business protect employees from phishing?
Start with MFA on every account, a strong email filter, and quarterly simulated phishing training. For a full assessment of your current defenses, contact Nextek IT.
Author, Sources, and Review
- Author: Nextek IT
- Technical Reviewer: Nextek IT Engineering Team
- Authoritative Sources:
News reporting referenced: The Cool Down (Aug 30, 2026) and the News-Press (Aug 24, 2026).