TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Imagine getting a bill for surgery you've never had, or going to pick up a prescription, only to realize it was already filled by someone else.
These are examples of a growing problem called medical identity fraud.
"Every time you go into a doctor's office or a dentist's office, right, you're filling out all these different little sheets of paper," said Allison Wainwright with Shred-It Tallahassee.
Wainwright says all those pieces of paper start to add up.
"Each location is tasked with making sure everything is behind locked doors," said Wainwright.
And that's where problems can start. In a study by the Ponemon Institute, which conducts independent research on information security, 2.3 million adults had someone fraudulently using their personal health information for medical services in 2014. The number was up 21 percent from the year before.
"Once they get something like a date of birth and social security number that's golden. That lives on forever," said Ann Patterson, Program Director of the Medical Identity Fraud Alliance. "They can perpetrate fraud forever and forever."
Medical Identity Fraud Alliance or MIFA is composed of companies working to prevent this type of fraud.
Patterson says personal health information sells more on the black market than traditional financial identities such as your credit card or bank account numbers, which you can close if you have to.
That's not the case with a birth-date, social security number or your medical history.
"I can't call the hospital and close my birth date and get a new one. I can't close my medical record and get a new one. My medical history is my medical history, that's in perpetuity," said Patterson. "My birth date lives on forever. All of these are converging together and the criminals know this."
Unfortunately it's very difficult to avoid fraud once someone has your medical ID but there are four ways to lessen the possibility of someone getting your identity to begin with.
First, check all of your health statements, explanation of benefits, and invoices for unexplained medical procedures. MIFA says 50-60 percent of victims don't check their healthcare paperwork.
"When you look at those documents, that's an early warning sign if you see a doctor's visit you never had," said Patterson. "Certainly if you see a surgery that you never had so you should be looking at those statement and scrutinizing them the same as you would your financial statements."
Second, don't just give out your social security number or date of birth to anyone claiming to be from medicare, your heath plan or hospital. Verify who you are speaking with first.
Third, don't overshare on social media.
"You see postings on social media about 'I'm on my way to the hospital wish me luck' that kinda thing, so criminals see this," said Patterson. "They're good at aggregating data and creating a very rich profile of a particular individual."
Finally, shred all health related documents you no longer need. That's where Shred-It Tallahassee can help.
"We basically suggest a 'shred all' policy. Right? If you're not sure, shred it," said Wainwright.
Don't forget to destroy the labels on prescription bottles and the leaflet that comes on the prescription bag.
WTXL is partnering with Shred-It and Legacy Toyota to help you "Shred it and Forget It."
On Thursday May 3, stop by Legacy Toyota at West Tennessee and Capital Circle.
If you bring a food donation for Second Harvest, we'll shred a box of your documents for free.
