Social Security Numbers

Trend: Identity thieves get better at stealing medical records

Wed, 07 May 2008 06:59:57 -0400

Recently, identity thieves have become increasingly focused on stealing medical records--and have begun using better methods to get patient data, too. Medical records offer a rich trove of information for an identity thief, often including not only health insurance account numbers and billing addresses, but also dates of birth, Social Security numbers and even credit information. Given the richness of patient records, thieves may make more money stealing them than they would by going after credit card numbers or bank accounts directly. Worse, the thieves are getting more skilled at such thefts. While providers often encrypt their data, thieves often work with insiders who can help them break through these security measures. Concerned about this trend, California and Arkansas now require that consumers be notified when their medical data is accessed, and federal legislators are considering a measure instituting similar requirements.

To learn more about medical record theft:
- read this USA Today article

Related Articles:
The growing problem of medical identity theft
NY hospital worker charged with massive file theft
California expands health data breach rules

NY hospital worker charged with massive file theft

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 06:59:56 -0400

A New York hospital employee was charged this weekend with stealing almost 50,000 patient files and selling some of them. The worker, patient admissions representative Dwight McPherson, was accused of stealing records from New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center starting in March 2006 on. The files stolen probably contained little or no medical information, but did include patient names, phone numbers and Social Security numbers--fertile ground for identity theft. McPherson previously had told investigators that a Brooklyn man offered him money in exchange for personal information on male patients born between 1950 and 1970. McPherson then sold the man 1,000 files for $750. He also admitted to selling another 1,000 patient documents to a different man. Hospital officials now are attempting to contact patients whose records were stolen.

To learn more about the file theft:
- read this New York Times piece

Poll Question: What are your thoughts on the trend of personal information being leaked?

Dental HMO leaks personal information to website

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 07:59:55 -0400

Here we go again! As reported by the Baltimore Sun, a CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield dental HMO accidentally leaked personal information--including Social Security numbers--of around 75,000 patients on a public website in February, failing to inform them of the gaffe for three weeks. While the company claims none of the information has been misused, it also has offered members 12 months of free credit monitoring, and information to contact credit bureaus for fraud alert purposes. Still, this is the second time in two months that this sort of thing has happened. What has to happen for these sorts of mistakes to cease?

For more information:
- read the Baltimore Sun's article