Medical Identity Theft: Unhealthy Procedures

Imagine Linda Weaver's shock in 2007 when she received a hospital bill for the amputation of her right foot. She didn't need to look down at her two intact feet to know that this was bunk.

She soon discovered an identity thief had stolen her Social Security number (SSN) and insurance identification number. Posing as Linda Weaver, the fraudster had the costly amputation performed. To make matters far worse, Weaver later found that the thief's medical information was merged into her medical file. Her medical chart now listed her as having diabetes – the criminal's condition, not hers.

Just think of all the life-threatening complications she or anyone else in this situation could potentially face. The wrong blood type listed in the file, not documenting a heart condition, and allergies or intolerance to certain medication can result in trauma or death. "I now live in fear that if something ever happened to me, I could get the wrong kind of medical treatment," said a clearly troubled Weaver in the article, "Diagnosis: Identity Theft," by Dean Foust in the Jan. 8, 2007, issue of BusinessWeek.