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MetLife records, including health data, found in trash

NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted March 15, 2010

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The Illinois Dept. of Insurance has been working with insurance company MetLife to notify dozens of people whose records were found disposed of behind a former MetLife office near Rockford, Ill., a few months ago.

A man searching for scrap metal discovered the records in January and notified authorities. Records for 171 people were found in a trash bin. Documents included insurance applications with health data and other identifying information, said department spokesman Louis Pukelis.

MetLife has offered to pay for 12 months of credit monitoring for anyone whose records were involved.

Insurance department officials did not issue any fines in connection with the incident, Pukelis said.

Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2010/03/15/bibf0315.htm.

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