news-record.com

GREENSBORO - The personal information of more than 1.2 million North Carolinians has been put at risk by 239 security breaches at state government and business offices since late 2005, according to the N.C. Attorney General's Office.

Of those, 14 breaches were in the health care industry, which affected 110,210 people - including the May theft of a backup computer database tape reported stolen from Greensboro Gynecology Associates.

The tape included the names, addresses and Social Security numbers of up to 47,000 current and former patients, according to police and practice officials.

As of Tuesday, investigators had not received any reports of patients' personal information being used fraudulently as a result of the theft, said Greensboro police Capt. Janice Rogers , head of the Criminal Investigations Division.

Despite that, victims should take precautions to protect themselves, Rogers said.

NoScamNC.gov , a Web site maintained by the state Attorney General's Office, suggests the following safeguards for victims of an information security breach or identity theft:

* Notify credit bureaus. A fraud alert tells banks and other creditors to take extra steps to verify your identity before issuing credit in your name, but it will not stop new credit in your name. A fraud alert is free and will last 90 days unless you request an extended seven-year fraud alert and provide a police report.

To request a fraud alert, contact one of the three nationwide credit bureaus - Equifax, Experian or TransUnion - and a flag will be placed on your credit file.

Each credit bureau provides you with a free credit report. The reports should be reviewed carefully for any fraudulent activity, and credit bureaus should be notified online or in writing of any discrepancies.

* Consider a security freeze. A freeze stops access to new credit in your name and prohibits credit-reporting agencies from releasing information about you to new creditors without your approval. That makes it difficult for an identity thief to use your information to open an account or obtain credit. A freeze is free for victims of identity theft who provide a copy of a police report.

* Monitor your credit report. Continue to monitor your credit reports every few months. Your private information may not be used immediately, so it's important to keep checking your reports regularly.

"For a situation where medical information has been lost or stolen, we also recommend that people look closely at the explanation of benefits they receive from their health insurer for any charges for treatment they didn't receive," said Noelle Talley, a spokeswoman for the N.C. Department of Justice.

"If your health insurer provides account information online, check your account periodically, and watch for any claims that have been filed for treatment you didn't get," she said.

It's also important that victims notify their insurers about breaches so they can watch for unusual activity. "People may want to consider asking their health insurance company for a new account or policy number," Talley said.

• Notify law enforcement. If you think that someone has used your name, Social Security number or other financial information, contact the police and file a report immediately.
• Take advantage of free credit monitoring, which may be provided by businesses that experience a breach.

However, Greensboro Gynecology Associates said it would not offer free monitoring because of the number of victims and related costs, according to a hotline set up to address inquiries about the theft.

Officials at the medical practice have limited comment on the theft and declined interview requests citing the advice of their lawyers.

The practice sent letters to patients notifying them of the theft earlier this month as required by state law.

According to police, the database information was taken May 29 when a thief broke into an employee's car. Police said the theft appeared to be random, and they have not named any suspects.

Contact Ryan Seals at 373-7077 or ryan.seals@news-record.com