A Mesa woman came dangerously close to losing her Medicaid coverage after becoming the victim of identity theft, forcing her into a stressful battle to prove she had not earned income she never received.
The issue began when someone used her Social Security number to work at an oil field in Texas. The woman, identified as Corina, has been on disability since 1999, but state officials flagged her account after seeing reported income tied to her identity in Odessa, Texas. Authorities believed she was earning about $6,000 a month through that job, even though she had never worked there.
Because of that reported income, her Medicaid benefits were suddenly at risk. Corina said the situation quickly became overwhelming, as she tried to convince officials that she had nothing to do with the employment tied to her Social Security number. She described the experience as a constant struggle, saying she kept having to explain that she never had a start date or quit date because she was never employed by the company at all.
In an effort to clear her name, she filed multiple reports, including police reports in both Mesa and Odessa, as well as complaints with the FBI and the Federal Trade Commission. Despite taking those steps, she said she faced difficulties communicating with the Arizona Department of Economic Security, the agency responsible for administering Medicaid in the state.
One of the biggest challenges was documentation. Corina said DES required physical copies of police reports as proof, but obtaining those records could take up to six weeks. She feared that delay would cost her coverage before she could even provide the necessary paperwork, putting her health care and financial stability at risk.
Experts say situations like this are not uncommon. Eva Velasquez, CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center, explained that employment-related identity theft happens when someone uses another person’s Social Security number to secure a job, often because they cannot use their own. She noted that the consequences can be serious, including problems with benefits eligibility, employment records, and even tax filings tied to income the victim never earned.
Velasquez emphasized that victims must take action by reporting the fraud and gathering documentation, such as police reports and FTC affidavits, to prove the identity theft. Without that evidence, it can be difficult to resolve the issue and restore benefits or financial standing.
After Arizona’s Family’s “On Your Side” team reached out to DES on Corina’s behalf, her situation was resolved. She was able to keep her Medicaid coverage without interruption. A spokesperson for DES said the agency works with clients to address eligibility issues, noting that each case is different and requires individual review.
Meanwhile, authorities in Texas confirmed that the investigation into who used Corina’s Social Security number is ongoing, and no additional details about the suspect have been released.
Source: AZFamily
