ADA warns of phishing scam targeting membership renewals

Fraudulent email stated membership would be suspended if payment information not updated

In light of a recent phishing attempt, the American Dental Association is reminding member dentists to stay vigilant about cybersecurity as they renew their membership this fall.

At least one member has received a fraudulent email warning them their membership would be suspended unless they clicked on a link to open a “payment advice document” and completed their “most recent up to date membership record.” The email stated they had 24 hours to complete these steps.

The ADA reported the link from the phishing email to the company that was used to create and host the fraudulent “payment advice document.” The company subsequently shut down the scammer’s user account, disabling the link in any email where it appears.

A phishing email disguises itself as coming from a trustworthy source to trick the recipient into providing sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords, credit card numbers and banking PINs, by clicking on a link or opening a document.

The ADA offers resources and advice to help member dentists maintain their cybersecurity at ADA.org/riskmanagement. Steps they can take include training staff on basic data security; backing up data regularly and keeping an encrypted copy off-site; being wary of attachments and web links included with suspicious emails; and maintaining cyber defenses, such as anti-virus and anti-malware software.

The Federal Trade Commission also offers guidance on recognizing and avoiding phishing scams.

Anyone who receives a suspicious email should report it as phishing or spam to their email service provider, the ADA advises. In addition, member dentists can report emails to the ADA Member Service Center at 312-440-2500 or msc@ada.org or to their state dental association.