Medical identity theft is the act of somebody making use of your confidential information for their medical purposes. This is extremely dangerous and you should be aware of the risks involved.
Medical identity theft is hardly ever reported or looked into and that makes it simpler for individuals to commit this type of crime. If your medical records are compromised then it can have potentially deadly results. Whether it is being administered the wrong medicines or the wrong kind of blood, this is one form of theft you cannot afford to allow to transpire to you or your family. In an emergency situation your medical records may be all the medical professionals have to establish the right treatment for you.
Another potentially deadly effect from this may be the health care provider withholding life saving medicines due to the other individual's medical history. If the health care provider is unsure of which patient is in front of him, then he may be hesitant to use specific medicines to prevent additional complications, even if it could be very useful to you.
Besides the medical factors it could also have a negative effect on your employment. You could be labeled as a drug seeker which in some cases could prevent you from getting particular jobs, especially in the healthcare field. The hospital might also report you to the local police as a drug user, who may in turn investigate you for potential narcotic use.
This type of identity theft can also transpire in the form of insurance fraud. This is when a person uses another's insurance to obtain medical care. Not only does this hurt you since your premiums may go up and you may be billed the deductibles, however your medical records might be compromised and erroneous information may be added to them.
If you're unaware of the bills then your credit might be impacted to the point of being disqualified for car and home loans and other credit related opportunities. You could even possibly be sued for the bills that were created in your name by another individual. If you are sued then your pay might be garnished for something you had no knowledge of. It could also cause you to lose job opportunities if the employer checks your credit rating.
If somebody uses medical identity theft to get government benefits then it could mean that you can't draw those benefits for yourself if they're needed. This includes disability and social security income that legally belongs to you and your family.
You must always do everything you can to safeguard yourself and your family from medical identity theft. Whether it's going through an identity theft insurance company that helps to safeguard your identity or simply checking your credit rating and asking for copies of your medical records once in a while, it's well worth the inconvenience or possible expense you might incur to prevent a potential catastrophe.
Once your medical identity has been taken from you it may take years to get things straightened out. You may incur legal fees and you'll have to prove that you are the lawful owner of your own identity and not the person who has taken it from you.
Medical identity theft is hardly ever reported or looked into and that makes it simpler for individuals to commit this type of crime. If your medical records are compromised then it can have potentially deadly results. Whether it is being administered the wrong medicines or the wrong kind of blood, this is one form of theft you cannot afford to allow to transpire to you or your family. In an emergency situation your medical records may be all the medical professionals have to establish the right treatment for you.
Another potentially deadly effect from this may be the health care provider withholding life saving medicines due to the other individual's medical history. If the health care provider is unsure of which patient is in front of him, then he may be hesitant to use specific medicines to prevent additional complications, even if it could be very useful to you.
Besides the medical factors it could also have a negative effect on your employment. You could be labeled as a drug seeker which in some cases could prevent you from getting particular jobs, especially in the healthcare field. The hospital might also report you to the local police as a drug user, who may in turn investigate you for potential narcotic use.
This type of identity theft can also transpire in the form of insurance fraud. This is when a person uses another's insurance to obtain medical care. Not only does this hurt you since your premiums may go up and you may be billed the deductibles, however your medical records might be compromised and erroneous information may be added to them.
If you're unaware of the bills then your credit might be impacted to the point of being disqualified for car and home loans and other credit related opportunities. You could even possibly be sued for the bills that were created in your name by another individual. If you are sued then your pay might be garnished for something you had no knowledge of. It could also cause you to lose job opportunities if the employer checks your credit rating.
If somebody uses medical identity theft to get government benefits then it could mean that you can't draw those benefits for yourself if they're needed. This includes disability and social security income that legally belongs to you and your family.
You must always do everything you can to safeguard yourself and your family from medical identity theft. Whether it's going through an identity theft insurance company that helps to safeguard your identity or simply checking your credit rating and asking for copies of your medical records once in a while, it's well worth the inconvenience or possible expense you might incur to prevent a potential catastrophe.
Once your medical identity has been taken from you it may take years to get things straightened out. You may incur legal fees and you'll have to prove that you are the lawful owner of your own identity and not the person who has taken it from you.
About the Author:
Nowadays, just about everyone is at risk of becoming a victim of identity theft. In all its forms, it is one of the fastest growing crimes internationally. So it's important that you learn more about it and the ways to protect yourself, such as taking out identity theft insurance.
