What classifies as medical information?

Medical history including past illnesses, surgeries, ongoing conditions, major diagnoses, healthcare insurance and coverage, and prescriptions.

Why is medical information stolen?

Your medical information is one of the most valuable things a hacker can steal! It is stolen and sold to other hackers and criminals to steal identities and commit fraud through the deep web. Over two and a half million Americans have been victims of Medical Identity Theft. Your medical information can be used to obtain false identification documents including driver’s licenses and passports. Medical records, in particular, are often used to obtain controlled substances through established illicit channels, which may eventually show up on your record.

7 Tips to help protect your medical identity with the upcoming flu season:

1. Social Media
Never post online about your medical information, history, or major conditions. Social media sites are full of bad actors searching for any opportunity to take advantage of other people. Don’t give them that opportunity by posting identifying information online!

2. Lock it up  
Keep electronic medical records in password-protected computers and folders. Here is a tutorial on how to lock folders on your computer.

3. Be Aware of Emails  
Do not include health information in emails! When updating friends or family on you and your family’s life, it may be tempting to include information about recent medical events and developments. Be extremely careful with what you share over email, even if it is good news! Emails are frequently compromised by hackers, and you don’t know who may be reading that email that you think is private.

4. Destroy the evidence!
Shred or destroy physical copies of insurance forms, doctor’s notes, and prescriptions which do not need to be kept. Identity thieves can be pretty desperate, and, believe it or not, some go so far as to dig through garbage cans and dumpsters to find papers that may contain sensitive or compromising information. While violating your identity may be illegal, the Supreme Court actually ruled that trash picking is legal, giving potential thieves license to search your garbage with impunity! Something as simple as an old physician bill found in the trash could lead to fraudulent charges or prescriptions that could affect your record.

5. Review medical history and charges.
Review your medical records with your doctor to ensure accuracy and purge fraudulent records. The easiest way to find out if a thief has been using your insurance or identity to receive treatment is to review your medical records! Your doctor will be able to show you what treatments have been received under your name and help you remove any fraudulent records!

6. Take care of your Insurance Card.
Your insurance card alone contains enough information for a thief to steal your identity and open accounts or receive medical treatment on your behalf. It may not seem like a lot, but your insurance account number, name, and address are all a thief needs to cause you a pretty big headache!

7. iLOCK360
Sign Up for iLOCK360. Basic, Plus, and Premium plans all include Medical ID monitoring. 

What to do if you’re a victim of Medical Identity Theft

Contact iLOCK360.  As an iLOCK360 paid subscriber, our certified U.S.-based Identity Theft Restoration Specialists will work on your behalf to restore your good name. A Specialist assigned to your individual case will guide you through each step of the restoration process and ensure that your case is handled with care. With your consent, the Restoration Specialist can help you with closing accounts, re-ordering cards, placing a fraud alert with each of the three credit bureaus, and removing fraudulent activity from your credit report. Restoration Specialists offer robust case knowledge in both credit and non-credit fraud situations. Our dependable identity restoration services will reduce the time and effort you’ll spend restoring your good name. 

Call 855-287-8888 to speak with an Identity Theft Restoration Specialist. 

How Else Can iLOCK360 Help?

Did you know that your iLOCK360 membership can help alert you if your personal information may have been bought or sold by hackers online?

iLOCK360’s proprietary CyberAlert can help you monitor your identity 24/7/365 for possible compromise on the Dark Web (i.e. the anonymous online marketplace where illicit activities occur). If your monitored information is found bought or sold online you will be automatically alerted so that action may be taken to address the issue.

CyberAlert’s available monitored features include: Bank Accounts, Credit/Debit Cards, Email Addresses, Phone Numbers, Medical ID Numbers, Social Security Number, Driver’s License and Passport.

Want to know if your information may have been compromised by a cybercriminal on the Dark Web? Be sure to log into your iLOCK360 account to setup this feature today.