Millions of people are affected by identity theft each year. It might start with a mysterious credit card charge, a bill you don’t recognize, or a letter from the IRS that says you already got your refund — even though you didn’t. If someone uses your information to make purchases, open new accounts, or get a tax refund, that’s identity theft. Recovering from identity theft often takes time and persistence. New features at IdentityTheft.gov make it easier to report and recover from identity theft. When you use IdentityTheft.gov to report a problem, you’ll get a personal recovery plan that: walks […]
One-Stop Website Offers Array of New Tools for ID Theft Victims; Free Recovery Plans Will Assist Consumers in Alerting Police, Credit Agencies, IRS. January 28, 2016 For the first time, identity theft victims can now go online and get a free, personalized identity theft recovery plan as a result of significant enhancements to the Federal Trade Commission’s IdentityTheft.gov website. The new one-stop website is integrated with the FTC’s consumer complaint system, allowing consumers who are victims of identity theft to rapidly file a complaint with the FTC and then get a personalized guide to recovery that helps streamline many of […]
Medical ID theft is a growing problem that needs greater attention in the industry so before it becomes an unmanageable problem. IDology, a software vendor enabling providers and insurers to validate the identity of a person not physically present, recently joined the Medical Identity Fraud Alliance, bringing the number of stakeholder and association members to 43 a little more than two years after formation. John Dancu, CEO at IDology, says he recently became aware of MIFA and wants the company to be part of the collaborative association. “When you share best practices and fraud trends, it makes the customer stronger,” […]
Membership further enhances IDology’s position as an identity verification and fraud prevention solutions leader in the healthcare industry and enables collaboration as well as industry best practices development. IDology, a leader in multi-layered identity verification and fraud prevention solutions for the customer-not-present environment, today announced they have joined Medical Identity Fraud Alliance (MIFA) as a member to help build a multi-faceted strategy of awareness, prevention, detection and remediation in the healthcare fraud ecosystem. Medical identity theft and fraud constitute a major societal problem exerting pressure on our healthcare and financial ecosystems. Membership in MIFA is dedicated to building focused and […]
A soon-to-be-convened HHS task force and its forthcoming report on cybersecurity mark a step toward strengthening privacy and security in health care, but it might have been the wrong one to take, some experts say. “The industry already knows what needs to be done,” said David Harlow, a health care attorney, consultant and author of HealthBlawg, citing data encryption and training to avoid human-error breaches as a few best practices. “We don’t have to wait for a report in order for those things to happen.” Cybersecurity Measure Included Federal Spending Deal Last month, Obama signed into law a two-part spending […]
The Influencers 2016: Top 10 Influencers in Health InfoSec HealthcareInfoSecurity announces its fourth annual list of top influencers, recognizing leaders who are playing significant roles in shaping the way healthcare organizations approach information security and privacy. Each of these influencers for 2016 has made a substantial impact. Their influence ranges from shaping and enforcing national health data security and privacy regulations to providing breach prevention and data protection insights. In some cases, the influencers have shined a spotlight on growing cyberthreats and serious information security gaps and risks that need to be more aggressively mitigated. The selections include some well-recognized […]
This growing form of fraud is harder to detect quickly—and the effects may be more than financial. You’re cautious about protecting debit and credit card information, but what about your health insurance information? If you share details about medical procedures on social media, toss letters from the insurance company in the trash or hand over your Social Security number at the doctor’s office, you could be putting your identity—and your health—at risk. Fraudsters want your medical information to commit medical identity theft. Your personal data can be used to receive medical care, purchase goods like diabetes test strips or crutches […]
After an eight-month investigation, local authorities arrested and extradited Gary Wayne Bogle, charging him with 10 felony counts of false impersonation for using his brother’s identity to receive medical treatment. The nightmare is nearing an end for Santa Clara county resident Ronnie Bogle, after authorities arrested his long lost brother, Gary Wayne Bogle, and charged him with 10 felony counts of false impersonation. Ronnie says for the past five years, he has been plagued with bills for thousands of dollars in medical treatments he never received. Bogle believed, and authorities agree, he was the victim of medical identity theft, committed […]
Protecting Against Medical ID Theft. We often hear stories about financial identity theft. However, your medical information is also at risk. And, a new report a new report suggests not enough is being done to protect patient’s medical data. Medical data is more valuable than most of us realize – stolen credit cards will sell for just a few dollars on the black market, but electronic health records can go for as much as $50 each! Unlike financial ID theft, medical identity theft victims are often left paying the bills. It can take years to clear up, and some patients […]
Scammers looking to hack mobile phones for patient medical info. Mobile phones may be the newest emerging battleground in combating widespread heisting of people’s medical identities. Two recent reports provide telling evidence. More than 25 million people will have their medical and/or personal info stolen from their health providers between now and 2019, says a new report by Accenture. That’s one of every 13 patients. Mobile transactions form the newest arena for ID theft in general, adds a report by IDology. The report focuses on broader ID theft, with some healthcare organizations taking part. Still, it’s a warning of emerging […]
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Read our study: Healthcare Industry Investments to Fight Medical Identity Fraud
The 2015 Healthcare Industry Investments to Fight Medical Identity Fraud looks at the types of investments and priorities the industry is making to detect, prevent and mitigate medical ID theft and fraud.
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See the 2014 Fifth Annual Study on Medical Identity Theft
The 2014 Fifth Annual Study on Medical Identity Theft measures the prevalence, extent, and impact of medical identity theft in the United States to consumers and the healthcare industry.