Your Prescription Has Been Stolen!

	Local Prescription Company Being Blackmailed by Chris Regnier One of America's largest prescription benefit companies based in North County is targeted by an extortion plot. It's a plot that could lead to serious identity theft! 'Express Scripts' says it received a letter threatening to release the personal information of many clients unless a payment is made. Express Scripts say they received the letter about a month ago. They immediately called in the FBI but say they didn't go public until now because they wanted to let the investigation take its course. Express Scripts is known for helping companies with prescription benefit plans including generic and mail order drugs. Company officials say they are angered by the alleged extortion plot. They say the letter threatens to expose the records of millions of their clients if the extortionists aren't paid off. What's even more troubling is that the letter contained the personal information of 75 Express Scripts clients information that included names, dates of birth, social security numbers and in some cases prescription information. So now what? This is the type of new ID theft that is frustrating and remarkable because there is no way in hell that individuals can protect themselves from this type of ID theft! The only solution would be to go off the grid and never see a doctor, never use a cell phone, the Internet, get all your money in gold bars or cash and drop out! Not practical for most os us. One of the companies for which I consult and that handles medical records called me frantic about this. "What can we do?" I was at a loss what they could do except to suggest what we normally fall back on. I told them - "Your customers should have an identity theft insurance program that monitors their credit and helps them with protection and recovery of lost ID information. And, you should run an ID theft risk management training program for all your employees twice a year so they all understand risk behavior and security concerns. " "Express Scripts also promised members free identity-restoration services if their data is used by the criminals. The company announced that it had contracted with well-known risk-consulting firm Kroll to assist any members that suffer identity theft." http://www.securityfocus.com/brief/854