subject: Who has access to your medical and social security identity [print this page] Who has access to your medical and social security identity
Theft can come in many forms. Theft can be the result of a burglar breaking into your home and stealing your TV, but theft can also come in the form of someone stealing your medical ID and social security number. When this happens you are vulnerable to someone else taking over your identity and racking up huge medical bills and false information on your medical records as well as opening up accounts in your name and ruining your credit. While you may take many steps to protect yourself from such theft the stealing of the information is completely out of your control.
Medical and identity theft happens when your records are stolen and a lot of the time it's not by some online hacker who was able to steal the encrypted information. Sadly, it generally happens when an employee of a doctor's office or hospital copies your records and sells the information of the black market. There truly is a whole underground market looking to acquire your medical and social security identification numbers.
Because of there are people who are willing to pay for your information, there are people willing to go out and steal it. Think about all of the establishments your visit and are required to provide a social security number or insurance card to. When you visit a hospital, doctors office, dentist office, chiropractor, bank, mortgage lender, financial advisor, and so forth you usually fill out forms and provide them with this information. Your information then sits in files just waiting to be accessed by the wrong person. It is very important that the people you do business with and trust with your information are taking the right steps to protect it.
The best way to protect your information is when the business installs security cameras to first deter employee theft and also has a security alarm system installed to prevent outside burglars from being able to gain access to your information when the establishment is closed. You may be feeling a little overwhelmed right now and wondering what you can do. While you can't force any business to add security to their office you can make suggestions to their office manager and you can always take your business elsewhere to a business that does security more seriously.
It really is us versus them when it comes to keeping our records safe. If we all work together by adding security systems to our homes and businesses and helping to spread the word that security systems do work, then crime truly can be prevented. Having someone destroys your medical records and social security information has to be one of the worst things that can happen, but it is preventable and it starts with you.
