TONIGHT NEWS 4 JAX
INVESTIGATES, IMAGINE TO BE
RUSHING TO THE HOSPITAL AND
FINDING OUT SOMEONE ELSE HAD A
MAJOR SURGERY ON YOUR DIME.
THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ONE
WOMAN WHO IS SHARING HER STORY
ABOUT HOW SHE BECAME A VICTIM OF
MEDICAL IDENTITY THEFT.
WE ARE LOOKING INTO THIS CRIME
TREND.
MORE THAN TWO MILLION
AMERICANS HAVE HAD THEIR
IDENTITIES STOLEN FOR PEOPLE
DESPERATE FOR A MEDICAL
TREATMENT.
A STRANGER WITH DIABETES HAD HER
LEG AMPUTATED USING HER
INFORMATION.
OBVIOUSLY I HAVE TWO
FUNCTIONING LEGS SO HOW CAN I
HAVE HAD A LEG AMPUTATED AND SHE
SAID YOU HAD YOUR LEG AMPUTATED.
AND I SAID NO, I DON'T THINK SO.
I'M A SOCCER REFEREE AND I RIDE
HORSES AND COMPETE WITH DOGS.
I HAVE TWO LEGS.
AND SHE SAYS ACCORDING TO OUR
RECORDS, YOU HAD SURGERY.
THERE IS NO DENYING THAT THIS
WOMAN WE ARE CALLING LISA HAD
BOTH OF HER LEGS AND STILL HAD A
HARD TIME CONVINCING HER
INSURANCE COMPANY THAT SOMEONE
STOLE HER MEDICAL IDENTITY.
THE PERSON HAD THEIR LEG
AMPUTATED BECAUSE OF DIABETES
AND I AM NOT DIABETIC.
THE INSURANCE COMPANY TRIED
TO CHARGE HER MORE THAN A
QUARTER MILLION IN BILLS.
SHE LATER LEARNED HER MEDICAL
IDENTITY HAD BEEN USED.
THESE BIG HOSPITAL BILLS AND
ALL OF THE ASSOCIATED PHYSICAL
THERAPY, PROSTASTIS, NURSING,
AND OF COURSE NOBODY WAS ABLE TO
TRACE IT BACK.
WE DON'T GET A LOT OF
COOPERATION.
LISA EXPECTS HER MEDICAL
INFORMATION WAS STOLEN BY AN
EMPLOYEE OF THE HOSPITAL WHERE
SHE HAD HER SHOULDER SURGERY AND
SOLD IT IN AN UNDER GROUND
MARKET FOR SOMEONE THAT IS
DESPERATE FOR HEALTHCARE.
WHAT SCARES ME THE WORSE IS
THAT IF ANYTHING HAPPENED TO ME,
IT WOULDN'T BE MY MEDICAL
INFORMATION.
IF YOU ARE INVOLVED IN AN
AUTOACCIDENT AND NEED A BLOOD
TRANSFUSION BUT THE BLOOD TEST
TYPE THE DOCTOR HAS IS NOT
YOURS, IT'S THE THIEF.
IT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF MEDICAL
THEFT BECAUSE GIVING THE WRONG
TYPE OF BLOOD CAN KILL YOU.
NEIL IS A PRIVACY AND
SECURITY PARTNER IN
JACKSONVILLE, A PRACTICE THAT
SPECIALIZES IN PEDIATRICS,
INTERNAL MEDICINE AND KEEPING
PATIENTS MEDICAL INFORMATION
SAFE.
HE SAYS TOO OFTEN MEDICAL CARE
PROVIDERS DON'T HAVE ADEQUATE
TRAINING OR TECHNOLOGY TO COMBAT
CYBER CRIMINALS WHO ARE TELLING
THE PROCESS.
THERE THE IS THE THE INDUSTRY
WITH A LOT OF OTHER SECTORS IN
PROTECTING THAT INFORMATION AND
WHEN YOU THINK OF THE MOM AND
POP MEDICAL PRACTICES, MOST OF
THEM CAN'T AFFORD THE REAL
SECURITY TEAM OR SECURITY
OFFICIAL SO THEY WILL HAVE
COMPUTERS THERE OR SECURITY AND
PASSWORD PROTECTED AND A LOT OF
THE DATA IS NOT ENCRYPTED.
TO PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY,
THEY SAY YOU SHOULD NOT POST ON
FACEBOOK ABOUT YOUR SURGERY OR
FAMILY MEMBERS.
THAT CAN MAKE YOU A TARGET IF
YOU HAVE GOOD HEALTH INSURANCE.
WHEN YOU FILL OUT THE PAPERS IN
YOUR DOCTOR'S OFFICE, CHECK THE
LAST FOUR DIGITS AND CHECK THE
BENEFITS ON A MONTHLY BASIS AND
FREEZE YOUR CHILD'S PAPERWORK
UNTIL THEY ARE 16 YEARS OLD.
PATIENTS BECOME MORE VULNERABLE
TO EXTERNAL DATA BREECH.
IT HAS COST ME MONEY IN MY
MORTGAGE, CAR LOAN, COST ME
MONEY IN MY INSURANCE.
WHAT IS VERY INTERESTING IS
THAT A MEDICAL IDENTITY FRAUD
ALLIANCE IS THAT ONE IN FOUR ARE
SUBMITTED BY THE FAMILY MEMBERS
OF THE VICTIM AND INTERESTING
ENOUGH, MEDICAL IDENTITIES ARE
50 TIMES MORE VALUABLE TO THESE
THIEVES THAN FINANCIAL IDENTITY.
THIS IS JUST CHILLING.
WHAT ABOUT LEASES --
THE PERSON WHO STOLE HER
IDENTITY WAS NEVER CAUGHT AND
NOW WILL HAVE HER PAPER
NOTARIZED AND HAS TO GO TO A
NOTARY TO GET THAT DONE.
WHAT A HASSLE.
GOOD FOR HER TO COME TO US
AND SHARE THE STORY SO THAT A
LOT OF OUR VIEWERS KNOW THIS