Hackers steal patient records

Emory Healthcare in the US says computer hackers lifted at least 77 patient records with personal information from its orthopaedic clinic off North Druid Hills, reports 11 Alive.

As a precaution, Emory spokesperson Jeffrey Molter says a letter was sent to 2 400 patients alerting them of the security breach.

In it, the company warns that information stolen included “name, social security number, address, date of birth and limited health information".

My Fox Atlanta also reveals that according to officials, the fraud was discovered by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), because they detected fraudulent tax returns. The IRS, in turn, brought the situation to Emory's attention.

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Emory said in a statement: "Law enforcement says, this information appears to have been subsequently used for the filing of fraudulent federal tax returns with the intent of collecting associated tax refunds. Emory has been fully cooperating with the IRS and other federal authorities in the ongoing criminal investigation, and will continue to do so."

"Emory is deeply committed to the protection of all personal information entrusted to us, and we express regret to our patients affected by this incident. We take this incident very seriously and offer sincerest apologies to our community," the healthcare company said.