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If you’ve ever dealt with overdue payments at a Quest Diagnostics location, it's crucial to start paying more attention to your financial documents. Another data breach has occurred, and it's time to be cautious.
This recent breach, involving a collections agency working with Quest Diagnostics, potentially exposed the medical and financial details of 11.9 million patients.
In a statement issued yesterday, Quest explained that the American Medical Collection Agency (AMCA), the collections firm utilized by Quest, confirmed the breach on May 31. The exposed information does not include lab test results but could involve financial details, Social Security numbers, and medical records.
Quest is collaborating with the collections agency on the investigation and has halted sending accounts to AMCA for collection purposes. According to Bloomberg, AMCA has suspended its web payment system and enlisted a third-party vendor to process payments in the meantime.
It’s too soon to determine if your personal information has been compromised, as Quest’s statement indicated that they have not yet received any confirmation from AMCA to verify this.
What you can do until further information is available
Whether you suspect your records might be affected or the mere mention of a data breach has you worried, it’s a good moment to review your credit with the three major bureaus.
Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax all offer free credit freezing and unfreezing services, so it’s wise to take advantage of this option—even if you’ve never set foot in a Quest facility. Freezing your credit doesn’t completely block access to financial services but gives you more control over your credit accounts. It prevents lenders from accessing your credit, making it harder for anyone to open new credit lines in your name using your personal data.
Freezing your credit won't stop someone from misusing your existing financial accounts, as that information could still be exposed through a breach or even if your wallet gets stolen (which, in today’s world, feels like a crime from a simpler time). Stay vigilant with your banking statements and credit reports, and if you think your identity is at risk, report it to the Federal Trade Commission.
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