Medical Identity Theft: Signs to Watch and Reporting Steps

Medical identity theft is when someone uses your personal information to obtain healthcare services. The information scammers use includes your name, SSN, or health insurance number. Most victims of this kind of scam report that the perpetrators use their information to see a doctor, get prescriptions, buy medical equipment, or attempt to get medical insurance. 

The resulting outcome of medical identity theft is severe. You can lose access to quality medical care and your health insurance benefits. In addition, your credit can also be damaged. 

In this article, you will learn how to avoid being a victim, identify warning signs, and what to do if someone illegally uses your medical information. You will discover that just like any other scam, medical identity thieves depend on you to compromise your personal information. 

Key Takeaways

• Medical Identity theft happens when a criminal accesses your private information and uses it to gain healthcare benefits. If you protect your personal and medical information, you can avoid being a victim. 
• If you constantly get messages and notifications that you have accessed medical care or you have a medical debt that you do not remember getting, you are already a victim. Start reviewing your medical and credit records to report any malice immediately. 
• Medical institutions and identity theft resolution platforms are the relevant authorities to contact. However, if you retrieve the perpetrator’s personal information from the records, you can invest in reverse search platforms to verify their real identities and report them to law enforcement. 

How to Avoid Being a Victim of Medical Identity Theft

You can avoid falling into the trap of medical identity thieves by protecting your medical information. You can achieve this by: 

1. Keeping medical documents in a safe place

You need to protect documents that have your medical information. Your health and medical insurance records and other documents with your data, like prescriptions, health insurance forms, and billing statements, should be stored in places that cannot be easily accessed.

When you do not need the documents anymore, make sure none of your medical or personal information can be traced in the document. You can block them out using a marker pen or shred the documents into small pieces. 

2. Ensure you check your explanation of benefits statements

An explanation of benefits statement records various details concerning your medical care. They include the date you visited a medical facility, the doctor who served you, the services you got, and the cost. If you notice any additional activities that are not yours, you know you have been scammed.

You can identify the fraud immediately and report to your medical insurance provider that someone else is using your identity to access medical care. 

3. Change your reception of medical documents from physical mail to online

If you are used to receiving your medical documents via mail, you can request they be emailed. However, in the meantime, ensure your statements do not stay in the mail for too long.

Opting for online reception ensures that you don’t have paperwork lying around. This will prevent identity thieves from accessing your information unless they do it through phishing. 

4. Do not give out your medical information without asking questions

When prompted to give out your medical information, ask questions to determine if it is necessary. Doctors can ask you to provide an SSN to identify you. Employers can also ask for your health or insurance details. You need to know how the information will be used and protected.

If it will be shared, you must ensure the holder is legitimate. Remember, any unsolicited calls or messages that request your medical information can be from scammers.  Confirm the legitimacy of the caller/ sender first before responding. 

Signs You are a Medical Identity Theft Victim

Scammers can use your personal information to commit medical identity theft in various ways. According to the FTC, common warning signs that victims report indicate that someone is using their medical information. 

For instance, your doctor might send you an explanation of benefits statements containing services that you did not use. In addition, you might also get a bill for medications that you did not take. Also, you might receive a message from debt collectors about a medical debt you do not remember taking.

Similarly, you can also find medical debt collection notices in your credit report, and you don’t owe any debt if you think about it.

Lastly, you can get a notice from the health insurance provider claiming you reached your benefit limits. These are indications that someone else used the service and got medical benefits using your identity. 

What To Do if Someone Is Using Your Medical Information

If you believe someone is using your health insurance or personal information to get healthcare services, use the following strategies to reduce the potential outcomes:

a). Assess your medical records

Getting your medical records will involve contacting any medical entity the scammer might have explored. Doctors, health insurance organizations, laboratories, chemists, and health facilities fall into this category. Request that they send you copies of your records. However, getting copies sometimes poses some difficulties.

You may be required to provide some resources like record request forms to obtain the copies. In other cases, the provider might refuse to provide you with copies of records to protect the perpetrator’s privacy.

If it happens this way, you can file a complaint to the contact information in the Notice of Privacy Practice. This can be a basis for you to get your medical records. After you get your medical records, look for any errors. If you notice any services or visits to the doctor that you do not remember, then it is likely an identity thief. 

b). Review your credit reports

You can also check your credit reports and report any errors you notice. They can be in the form of medical debt collection notices and additional expenses. Luckily, getting your credit reports is free and easy. You need to contact any of the three credit bureaus. The FTC also recommends calling the bureaus through their main number: 1-877-322-8228. 

c). Report any errors

When you find any malicious activities in your medical or credit reports, report the issue to your healthcare provider. Ensure to include any medical records displaying information and pointing out malicious activities.

Send the letter and make sure you can track it to ensure it reaches the designated recipient. You will receive a response within a month. In addition, other healthcare providers will also be notified to rectify any errors in your records on their side. 

How to Report Medical Identity Theft Fraud

You can report medical identity theft by creating a personal recovery plan. While a scammer can intend to use your personal information to get healthcare services, they can also find themselves using it to commit other crimes.

In addition, you can use a reverse search to find the perpetrator’s real Identity. You can report medical identity theft by looking for the perpetrator’s real identity and reporting them to law enforcement. When identity thieves commit a crime, they usually leave behind traces that can be linked to them.

Any little information you can get about the perpetrator can be used to find their details. For instance, a name or a contact can generate a wide range of information, including their address and image. A platform like Social Catfish allows you to hire world-renowned search specialists to help you retrieve the details in seconds. 

Bottom Line: What is Medical Identity Theft?

This article points out the severity of medical identity theft. It shows that identity thieves can steal and use your personal information to get healthcare services and rob your insurance benefits.

Therefore, to avoid being a victim, guard your personal medical information from being easily accessed. In addition, regularly check your medical and credit records to identify warning signs.

If you are already a victim of medical identity theft, gather all the evidence, including your medical and credit records, and report the incident to the relevant authorities.

Similarly, if you have little information about the perpetrator, you can verify their identities using social catfish reverse search technology. This can make it easier to bring the perpetrator to justice.