Hospital conned into multiple surgeries for man using alias

A Davenport, Iowa, hospital provided surgical care to Ryan C. Smith multiple times between June 17 and August 17, the Quad City Times reports. However, at the time, officials weren't aware that Smith was operating under an alias. The Genesis Medical Center provides care to in-need patients regardless of their ability to pay. Smith, using false identity authentication, took advantage of the healthcare facility's policy to accrue more than $32,000 in medical bills over the course of the summer. Smith would be arrested after later admitting to hospital staff that he received care under a different name - although federal law prevents the health system from commenting on the procedures. According to Amanda Crowell, identity theft prevention officer for Rock Island, Illinois-based Trinity Regional Health System, identity theft does happen in hospitals, although it's usually prescription pill-related. "The majority of what we find is drug-seeking behavior," she told the news source. "The record shows the patient has been here multiple times, so the person will assume the identity of a friend or family member." The Grio reports a similar situation took place last April when Shatarka Nuby of Broward, Florida, stole a woman's ID to open a bank account to fund her $9,000 breast surgery.