RX Bottles Can Lead To Dose Of ID Theft

[Amelia]

RX Bottles Can Lead To Dose Of ID Theft

Thousands Affected Every Year

July 19, 2007

KPTV 12

YORK COUNTY, Pa. -- Every year, hundreds of thousands of Americans become victims of identity theft, and thieves are using one way that most people don't consider -- discarded prescription bottles.

A York County woman, whose identity was concealed, said it happened to her, reported WGAL-TV in Lancaster, Pa. She said it started with a strange phone call. A man with a thick foreign accent told her that he was calling from her local pharmacy and preparing her refills.

The woman said she sensed a scam when the caller asked for a list of her medications, which her pharmacy should have already had.

She also said there was another warning sign.

"Two days before I received this phone call. I had gone to the pharmacy and picked up all my prescriptions," she said.

Some of those prescriptions included medication that would have a high street value for drug dealers.

"He had my name. He had my address. He had my birth date," she said.

The woman said she thinks her personal information might have come from her old prescription pill bottles. Because she lives in a rural area and is allowed to, she usually burns her trash, including empty prescription bottles.

"One time, and one time only, did I throw the prescriptions into the garbage. And I had a bad feeling," she said.

Now, she said, she is worried about what could happen to her medical benefits as she continues treatment for cancer.

"That had to be like a form of identity theft," she said.

It's called medical identity theft, reported WGAL-TV. In a typical case, someone steals medical information to gain access to health insurance benefits.

"As health care benefits go up, and people need to get access to hospitals and doctors, I would not be surprised to see much more of this," said Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett.

Corbett has prosecuted two cases of medical ID theft.

Daniel Sullivan, of Philadelphia, is serving three to six years in prison for running up a $146,000 medical bill in someone else's name. Galen Baker, of Philadelphia, has been charged with using a co-worker's name to fill $3,000 worth of phony prescriptions.

With standard ID theft, consumers can place warnings with credit bureaus, but no such option exists with medical identity theft, the station reported.

However, with medical ID theft, there is no central reporting agency to let medical professionals know of breaches, and such thefts can put victims at health risk in the future, the station reported.

"You end up going to that same hospital and present your benefit. They look at the card and pull up your chart, which isn't your chart, and the blood type could be different," said Corbett.

Protect Yourself

To protect against medical identity theft, consumers should take precautions with empty prescription bottles. Before throwing them out, soak them in water and tear the labels off.