Alberta scam alerts residents of fake health card text messages

The Alberta government is warning residents to ignore text messages claiming their provincial health cards are out of date and require replacement.

The fraudulent messages say health cards issued before January 2023 are "legacy documents" requiring "mandatory replacement" and direct recipients to update their information through a link to keep accessing pharmacy and clinic services.

"The Government of Alberta will never send unsolicited text messages asking for Albertans' personal or financial information," said a statement from the office of Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally. "These texts are scams and should be ignored."

The Better Business Bureau issued an alert about the texts on Wednesday, with spokesperson Wes Lafortune urging Albertans not to click links or engage with the messages. "Ignore it. Delete it. Don't engage," he said. "It's always a red flag if you get an unsolicited text, even if it's an organization that you deal with. Be very skeptical of that."

The scam is likely capitalizing on confusion around Alberta's legitimate plan to eliminate paper health cards and integrate health numbers into driver's licences—a change that took effect July 2. Red flags include spelling errors in the messages and the fact they appear to come from the federal government, which has no jurisdiction over health care.