The University of Florida is in the process of notifying 14,339 patients of the UF&Shands Family Medicine at Main practice that they may be the targets of identity theft.
After discovering that an employee working at the UF medical clinic had ties to an identity theft ring, university officials began working to identify patients who may have had their personal and health information compromised, according to a news release.
Anyone who was a patient between March 2009 and October 2012 and does not receive a letter should contact the UF call center.
The Office of the State Attorney, the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Secret Service allege a UF employee acquired patient insurance information, including names, addresses, dates of birth and Social Security numbers, and may have sold some of the information to a third party.
The employee has been terminated and may face criminal charges.
“We share our patients’ frustration regarding this situation and regret that it happened,” said Susan Blair, chief privacy officer for the University of Florida. “We are committed to serving our patients and helping them get through any problems that arise stemming from this incident.”
The university learned of the alleged incident from state and federal law enforcement officials on Oct. 25, when an identity theft ring that targeted several hospitals and health clinics in Florida was uncovered.
UF is offering fraud resolution services for those who suspect or confirm identity theft associated with the incident. Anyone who suspects they may have been a target should take appropriate measures to protect themselves from identity theft.
For questions related to the incident, visit privacy.ufl.edu or call 877-552-1299.
