Enrolling in health care programs can lead to identity theft

Issues that arise when enrolling in health care programs are typically related to paperwork and similar things, but consumers might now have to worry about identity theft.

Should the instances of this crime increase, short term lenders need to be one of the main lines of defense, as thieves generally attempt to obtain loans under the false names.

According to KCRA, the California Department of Insurance said there have been reports from the federal government that some people are attempting to get Social Security numbers by misrepresenting themselves.

To help prevent identity theft, Janice Rocco, Deputy Insurance Commissioner, told the news source the agency signing people up for health plans in California needs to allow a firm to monitor the enrollment staff.

"It's important that the enrollment counselors of Covered California are subject to oversight and monitoring of the activities," Rocco said.

One of the ways identity theft can impact a consumer credit score is by recording numerous hard inquiries, MSN Money noted. While a few won't hurt, these can add up over time and lead to significant damage.