 TITLE: How Can Medical Identity Theft Occur? CONTENT: What to Do if You Think You're a Victim of Medical Identity Theft\n-----------------------------------------------------------------\nEven with every precaution in place, your information could still be compromised due to a data breach. You could also be the victim of insider fraud, or a fraudster may get hold of your information in spite of the safety measures.\nSigns of medical identity theft can include getting a bill or an explanation of benefits (EOBs) from your insurance company for a service or product you didn't receive, or noticing an error in your medical records or credit report.\nIf you know or suspect you've been the victim of medical identity theft:\n*   Submit a report to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which will create a recovery plan and give you an FTC Identity Theft Report. If you create an account, the FTC can auto-fill forms and track your progress online. You might also want to file a crime report with your local law enforcement.\n*   Look into adding a fraud alert or fraud alert or credit freeze. Doing so can help keep fraudsters from using your information to open new credit accounts.\n*   Request copies of your insurance EOB statements and medical records to review them for errors.\n*   If you find something amiss, contact the appropriate provider to inquire or request that they update your records.\nCleaning up after an incident of medical identity theft can be time-consuming, but quickly taking action can also help prevent further issues. END