Scammers are targeting plastic surgery clinics with extortion scams

security
(Image credit: Shutterstock / binarydesign)

Cybercriminals are targeting plastic surgery offices with ransomware, and are using stolen sensitive information to pressure the businesses into paying the ransom demands. Organizations and their workers are urged to tighten up on cybersecurity, work on their privacy on the internet, and be vigilant when getting email and social media messages.

This warning was given out by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) earlier this week, BleepingComputer reported.

As per the FBI’s warning, hackers are calling plastic surgery offices on the phone and inquiring about active email addresses. Then, they reach out via email, trying to trick the workers into downloading and running ransomware. After that, they’d use the access to steal sensitive information, personally identifiable data, but also sensitive medical records which, in some cases, include intimate photos.

Peer pressure

Then, they would pair this information with other data on the victims, available elsewhere on the internet. That can include information on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter), and similar. 

The final step is to reach out to plastic surgeons and patients, threatening to release the data online unless they pay an extortion demand. In some cases, the attackers would send the information to close relatives or friends, to exert even more pressure on the victim.

In a statement given to BleepingComputer, the American Board of Plastic Surgery said it was actively working with the FBI on this. “As the FBI is the prime investigator, the Board cannot comment on the extent of those affected at this time,” it said.

The FBI’s warning also comes with a few suggestions on how to stay safe. The law enforcement agency advised plastic surgeons to configure their social media profiles for maximum privacy and carefully analyze who they have in their friends/followers list. Having strong, regularly updated passwords is also a recommendation, as well as monitoring bank accounts and credit reports. 

More from TechRadar Pro

Sead is a seasoned freelance journalist based in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He writes about IT (cloud, IoT, 5G, VPN) and cybersecurity (ransomware, data breaches, laws and regulations). In his career, spanning more than a decade, he’s written for numerous media outlets, including Al Jazeera Balkans. He’s also held several modules on content writing for Represent Communications.

Read more
Shopping scams
New wave of sextortion scams uses personal details and images to intimidate targets while bypassing traditional security measures
healthcare
Top IVF firm says hackers accessed private data during cyber incident
Image of laptop infected with malware
Ransomware criminals are now sending their demands...by snail mail?
ransomware avast
The biggest addiction treatment provider in the US says it was hit by data breach
security
Ransomware gangs allegedly hit two major US healthcare firms, 300,000 patients have data stolen
healthcare
Over a million clinical records exposed in data breach
Latest in Security
An American flag flying outside the US Capitol building against a blue sky
The FCC is creating a security council to bolster US defenses against cyberattacks
Image depicting hands typing on a keyboard, with phishing hooks holding files, passwords and credit cards.
Microsoft warns about a new phishing campaign impersonating Booking.com
Ransomware
Microsoft uncovers sleuthy new XCSSET MacOS malware campaign
Computer Hacked, System Error, Virus, Cyber attack, Malware Concept. Danger Symbol
Meta warns of worrying security flaw hitting open source type software
Hand holding smartphone and scan fingerprint biometric identity for unlock her mobile phone
Passwordless authentication continues to grow, with biometrics helping push adoption
Data leak
Hacked Tata Technologies data leaked by ransomware gang
Latest in News
The Google Gemini logo against a black background.
I tried Gemini's new AI image generation tool - here are 5 ways to get the best art from Google's upcoming Flash 2.0 built-in image upgrade
An image of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra from a hands-on event
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra could resurrect an intriguing camera feature
Eurocom Raptor X18
At $15,000, this massive 256GB RAM laptop makes Apple's MacBook Pro look affordable, tiny and very, very slow
Cristin Milioti in Black Mirror season 7
Netflix launches trailer for Black Mirror season 7, giving us a look at its first-ever sequel episode and an unexpected returning character
A graphic of the PC Gaming Show
Get ready for a bounty of PC games on June 8, as the PC Gaming show is back
A close up of The Daily podcast from Pocket Casts' web page
‘Podcasting shouldn’t be locked behind walled gardens’: Pocket Casts slams Spotify and makes its web player free to all