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Protect Yourself from Medical Identity Theft

How Can Medical Identity Theft Occur?

Medical identity theft happens when someone uses your personal information to get medical care. They might buy medical devices, order prescription drugs, or have their provider bill your insurance company for a medical procedure. This can be time-consuming and stressful to correct, and it could also lead to dangerous errors in your medical records.

Common Ways Medical Identity Theft Occurs

Thieves can steal your personal information through various means, including:

• Data breaches: Medical records are often exposed in data breaches, compromising millions of people’s information.
• Physical theft: Thieves might steal your mail or trash to obtain health insurance cards, prescriptions, billing statements, or explanation of benefits forms.
• Phishing: Criminals may trick you into sharing your information through fake emails, texts, or calls.
• Scams: Scammers might promise free medical care or benefits in exchange for your information.

6 Signs of Medical Identity Theft

Be on the lookout for these signs that you might be a victim of medical identity theft:

• Data breach notifications: If a company informs you that your information was exposed, be vigilant.
• Unexpected medical notifications: Receiving unexpected appointment reminders or bills can be a red flag.
• Unusual bills or collection accounts: Bills for services you didn’t receive or calls from debt collectors are warning signs.
• Errors in your medical records: Review your records for procedures or test results you don’t recognize.
• Changes in your personal information: Notice any unauthorized changes in your health portal or insurance account.
• Surprising health insurance charges: Look for unexpected changes in your deductible or coverage.

How to Prevent Medical Identity Theft

Here are steps you can take to protect yourself from medical identity theft:

• Secure your online accounts: Use unique, secure passwords and enable multifactor authentication.
• Keep your information private: Avoid sharing personal information over the phone or email unless you initiated the contact.
• Contact your insurance company: Inform them if you suspect your information was stolen.
• Monitor your accounts and reports: Regularly review your health insurance account and medical records for errors.
• Retain old medical records: Keep copies of old records to help correct any future discrepancies.
• Destroy items with personal information: Shred or safely dispose of documents with your personal and medical information.
• Keep devices updated and clean: Install updates and run antivirus scans regularly.

What to Do if You’re a Victim of Medical Identity Theft

If you suspect you’re a victim of medical identity theft, take these steps:

• Report to the FTC: Submit a report to the Federal Trade Commission at IdentityTheft.gov.
• Request copies of your records: Obtain your EOBs, medical records, and accounting of disclosures to review for errors.
• Dispute errors: Contact your health insurance company and providers to correct your records.
• Secure your credit reports: Add a fraud alert or security freeze to your credit reports.
• Seek assistance: Contact the Identity Theft Resource Center for free victim assistance services.

Contact O1ne Mortgage for Your Mortgage Needs

At O1ne Mortgage, we are dedicated to providing you with the best mortgage services. If you have any mortgage-related needs, don’t hesitate to call us at 213-732-3074. Our team of experts is here to help you every step of the way.

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