What is a Red Flag?

A “Red Flag” is defined as a pattern, practice, or specific activity that could indicate identity theft. For instance, if a new patient completes the date of birth on a registration form with different information than that on his driver’s license, that could be a Red Flag, and it may be appropriate to request further proof of identity.

To help members identify other red flags, we created a checklist (1-page Word file; About Downloading) for physician practices using examples from the Red Flag rule that may be applicable. This checklist may be helpful in assessing which types of Red Flags are most likely to be seen in a practice and what existing or new policies and procedures are in place to detect and respond appropriately to Red Flags.