Someone used her Social Security number, she almost lost Medicaid coverage

MESA (InvestigateTV) — A Mesa woman’s health coverage was at risk after someone used her Social Security number to work at an oil field in Texas.

Corina has been on disability since 1999. The state asked her to confirm new income in Odessa, Texas.

“Someone was using my Social Security number. That’s what they said, and employed under my Social Security number,” Corina told On Your Side. “They think I was making $6,000 a month with this oil rig company in Texas.”

With the new income under her Social Security number, she was in jeopardy of losing Medicaid coverage.

“It’s just been one thing after another trying to prove this is not me,” she said.

Filing reports and seeking help

She filed police reports in Mesa and Odessa, a report with the FBI and another one with the Federal Trade Commission. She said she struggled to communicate with the Arizona Department of Economic Security, which administers the state’s Medicaid program.

“They keep saying when was your quitting date? When was your starting date? I never had a day. I never worked for them, so there is no date,” Corina said.

Another challenge? Corina said DES wanted physical copies of her police reports.

“I can’t get a copy of that for up to six weeks. By then, my time is done. It’s over,” she said. “It’s going to probably cost me everything.”

Identity theft experts weigh in

Eva Velasquez, the CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center, said employment identity theft is not a rare occurrence.

“For some reason, their own Social Security number will not allow them to secure that employment or they don’t have their own Social Security number,” Velasquez said.

The consequences are wide-ranging. If someone fraudulently uses your Social Security number for employment, it could impact your ability to get a job or jeopardize your benefits.

“Other times there are tax implications. You didn’t claim this income because it wasn’t you working and all of a sudden there are all of these challenges with your federal and state tax filings,” Velasquez said.

She said people in this situation need to report it.

“You are going to need a police report. Maybe an FTC affidavit, which is something you can get online at identitytheft.gov . The bottom line is you’re going to have to have documentation to prove that that wasn’t actually you,” Velasquez said.

“Somebody’s gotta have an answer for it,” Corina said.

Resolution after inquiry

After On Your Side reached out to DES, Corina got the help she needed, and her medical coverage will continue uninterrupted.

In a statement, a spokesperson for DES said the agency works with clients to resolve their eligibility issues. The spokesperson acknowledged that every application has a different set of circumstances.

The Ector County Sheriff’s Office said it cannot provide information about who’s using Corina’s Social Security number because it is an ongoing investigation.