What happens if someone else tries to use my account?

What happens if someone else tries to use my Abby account?

If someone else tries to use your Abby Health account, our security systems usually block them before they get in — by detecting an unfamiliar device, unusual location, or repeated failed logins. You may see a login alert email and your account may be temporarily restricted. If you suspect someone has accessed it, reset your password straight away and contact our support team. Your medical record stays protected throughout.

What does our security do automatically?

Most attempts at unauthorised access never reach a clinician or your record. Behind the scenes, Abby uses layered controls:

• Login monitoring — sign-ins from new devices or unusual locations trigger an alert and additional checks.
• Brute-force protection — repeated failed password attempts lock the account temporarily so it cannot be guessed open.
• Encryption in transit and at rest — your data is encrypted whether it is moving between your phone and our systems or sitting in storage.
• Access controls — only the clinicians involved in your care, and a small group of trained support staff, can view records, and only when there is a clinical or service reason to do so.

These controls operate under the Australian Privacy Principles and meet the security expectations of Australian healthcare law.

How will I know someone has tried?

You will usually receive an email or push notification when a sign-in looks unusual. The signs to watch for:

• A login alert from a city, browser, or device you do not recognise.
• An "account locked" message after attempts you did not make.
• A password reset email you did not request.
• An appointment, prescription request, or message you did not send.
• Updates to your contact details, Medicare number, or pharmacy on file that you did not approve.

If you see any of these, treat it as a real attempt and act on it.

What should I do if I think someone got in?

Take these steps in order, even if you are not certain:

• Reset your password — go to the login screen, tap Forgot password, and choose a long, unique password.
• Update your app to the latest version so you have the newest security fixes.
• Check what changed — review your name, email, mobile, Medicare details, pharmacy, and recent appointments.
• Tell support — start a Live Chat in-app or email support@abbyhealth.app. The full reporting steps are in how do I report suspicious activity.
• Watch out for follow-up scams — if a stranger has your email, they may also try to phish you. Read what Abby will never ask you to do.

What does Abby do once it's reported?

Our team treats every account-takeover report as serious. We:

• Restrict the account — see what if my account is restricted or closed — so it cannot be used while we look at it.
• Review the activity — login records, devices, recent appointments, and any changes to your details.
• Verify your identity — usually by email and a few simple security questions.
• Restore access — once we are confident it is you, we walk you back in and help you set a new password.
• Notify if required — if a confirmed breach involves your personal information and is likely to cause serious harm, we follow the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme.

Can a hacker book an appointment as me?

Even if someone managed to log in, they would still hit several walls. Identity is verified at the consult — clinicians confirm your name, date of birth, and Medicare details before issuing prescriptions, certificates, or referrals. Suspicious bookings are flagged automatically, and any prescription pathway involves a registered clinician's judgement, not an automated process. Abby AI is a decision-support tool that prepares the consult; it never prescribes or replaces a clinician's check.

How do I make my account harder to break into?

Three habits stop almost every takeover:

• Use a unique password you do not use anywhere else.
• Lock your phone with a PIN, passcode, or biometric.
• Never share login codes, even with someone claiming to be from Abby — see the OAIC privacy rights guide for general advice on protecting your personal information.

How Abby can help

If you suspect someone is trying to use your account, our support team is one tap away in the Abby Health app, 7 days a week. We will lock things down, work out what happened, and walk you back in safely. You can read more at your data at Abby — privacy explained or book a consult at abbyhealth.app. Abby appointments are bulk billed for eligible patients with a valid Medicare card.