The fake Nikki would be on ambulance, paramedic, police and multiple hospital cameras. They also need to scan ID and Insurance cards...ask for all of this.
Not everyone that goes to the hospital has their ID especially if it's someone who overdoses most people don't have any identification on them so yes I agree with you it is on the hospital however it's also on the person for giving the hospital false information because for all they know this person forgot where they lived and they were listing or ask them if a certain address was correct they could have said oh yes and it just so happens to be Nikki's mom's address I've seen it way too many times I've worked around hospitals for a very long time and cases like this are very common especially where I was living
@dustindent after watching johns last fishing video (before I even watched this video) I thought John might have been high just from the way he was talking. However heroine is a downer so it usually makes a person drowsy, unlike meth. What I am trying to get at, now that we know they have split and Nikki has said there is zero possibility of them ever getting back together. I do wonder if maybe this mysteriously high woman that overdosed and someone used Nikki’s name for the hospital has something to do with John. Like maybe John was the one to give Nikki’s name, thinking he would be able to pick the bill up from her mothers and pay it without it being noticed. It’s just an option as to what could have happened, I’m not trying to stir shit up. Just very odd how the timing of the breakup was in relationship to this whole bill fiasco. Not to mention the whole billing thing is really weird and with specific information.
If you want my advice, contact an attorney who deals with this sort of thing. Even if it is just a consultation. I realize that could be more expensive than the bill but this is your identity and while it probably is an error, the attorney could get things rolling. They will push you around hoping you will get scared and pay the bill. An attorney can send a letter hopefully getting them to back off. Debt collectors are the worst. They will say ANYTHING to get you to pay. They will lie, scare you and make you feel like dirt. I would take legal action if it was me, just to make sure this doesn't come back to bite you. One person may tell you it is clear and all of a sudden you have a warrant for your arrest due to the heroin OD. A few months after my dad died I went to buy a car. They ran my credit and told me I was dead. Now, my dad and I shared a name and, somehow, they got things mixed up and I couldn't buy a car, rent an apartment or do anything that required running my credit because someone, somewhere screwed up and it showed I was dead even though I was clearly sitting in front of them. They realized I was alive but because the computer said I was dead, I was dead. Luckily I was able to fix it with the credit bureau. But the point is, don't let it linger. No news isn't always good news.
Someone took a peek at your information somewhere, in the hospital, mail and was able to get enough to cause problems. Watch out, Credit cards could be next..
@@NIkkiandJohnVLOG it's worth asking if they do because this is absolutely not ok. Hopefully you get this all figured out I'm really not sure who else to contact.
Ambulances do have cameras and so do the hospitals. Since they are claiming it is you, then you have a legal right to see the security camera feed from the date and time “you” apparently were at the hospital. If they deny your claim to see the recording from that time and date, then that means they have reasonable doubt that it wasn’t really you and don’t want to violate someone else’s privacy. Call them out on it. Hope everything works out for you!
I would think that it indeed was a mistake in billing since you gave your mom's address at the time of your getting your travel shots. I don't want to add to your worry but the heroin overdose may be on your health records too, so I would get that checked out as well.
Sorry to hear that. In 2009, someone stole my Wifes purse, shortly after. It started. They rented and stole 2 Corvettes from the San Francisco airport car rental hub. Took out loans etc. All bad. Still dealing with it. Good luck.
That sucks. I once had someone buy a laptop with my debit card. You're best off taking it to police and court at this point; the hospital probably made the mistake and is trying to cover their own asses
That's absolutely crazy, Nikki! This shouldn't happen to anyone! It's great that, in the myriad of people thinking about the Hospital's interests, you found someone that is open to helping you. Hope they truly can help! I agree with Sheri Arnold, you should check with the credit bureaux and let them know you are a potential identity theft victim so they can thwart any other attempts. Hopefully it was just someone who wanted to avoid a bill and the embarressement of admitting their addiction problem and they don't try anything else. I know you guys will pull through this! We just hope sooner rather than later. Take care! Can't wait for the vlogs to start back up! Essenam says hi to you and Iris!
So weird. Got a bill from our local emergency room last month that my 17 yr. Old daughter was in the ER and had tests done. We looked at our phones and we were texting back and forth. The time they said she was there I picked her up from a friend's house and went to work. I still have to call them and discuss it. The weird thing was she did go to the ER another day but left after waiting a few hours and had no tests done. 😒
I’ve had my identity stolen. It’s such a pain. They got my credit cards, got a cell contract, and even got a mortgage with all my info. It took almost two years to clean up the mess and 13k in lawyer fees to fix it.
I feel with you on this. My wallet was stolen a week ago and a bunch of my cards were used. It’s such a long arduous process. I’m hoping it all goes well. People are such scammers.
This sounds like an elaborate scam to get your information... I would have brought it up to police, because if you gave them information over the phone they now have more information on you. I would refrain from saying much more to them and research it more in depth. Maybe ask a lawyer about what your rights are if someone does have your information
This happened to me. Everyone pretended to listen, I think it is just to get you off the phone. Finally contacted Attorney General (Oregon) with documentation. Include anything that you can to prove that doesn't put you there. Attorney General will also consider witnesses to verify the documentation. Anything with a time stamp, could be time or date from pictures taken by you or friends with you in the picture on that day. Documentation from your doctor stating no signs of drug use. Also send copies of bills, to include debt collection, don't forget to write on each bill "facility used my name by mistake". I have learned dealing with people, that sometime it is easier to conduct business if your response give a satisfactory way out for them. Documentation was the only way I could turn it around for me using State Attorney General's office. Got no where trying to discuss with the billing parties. I talked to a billing company. I asked about why the run around and different answers or assurance. She said that is how collection business is done, we try very hard not to give straight answers so a percentage of those who are not liable for the bill will get tired of the inconvenience and send us the money anyway. Good luck, hope this was helpful. We are much better off now and we let our attorney handle stuff like this now. Even when it cost us more than the bill we didn't owe. This is to minimize future liability through documentation if needed to fight even a bigger bill in the future. Note: The facility has nothing to gain by helping you not to give them money, even if they are wrong. The Facility does have something to gain to force you to pay them, even if they made the mistake (my guess) or stolen identity. If it goes against you in collection, I believe you can still work with credit reporting agencies with documentation to clear your up your report. Good luck, hope this helps
Some hospitals do not give a SHIT. I just went to the hospital a few weeks ago because I hadn't felt movement in 14 hours (I'm pregnant obvi). I was scrambling to find my insurance card and made sure I had my ID and ssn and upon arrival I was only asked my name and birthdate and then admitted.. Like I literally could have said any name and birthdate and they would have just treated me no problem. It was a hospital I have never been to, and I was just so confused.
Same thing happened to my friend but way worst. My friend ended up in county jail because someone used his info. Told him he had a warrant for his arrest because someone filled an domestic violence case against him when he was with us all night. Has so many friends to testify as well. Never had a criminal history no witnesses and the person who filled the case has no proof
A hospital threatened to send me to collections over $16 that my insurance decided not to pay . The first contact they made with me about it was a letter from the hospital telling me that they were turning this horrendous debt over to collections . I paid it immediately , then they refunded it in full two weeks later . Bunch of knuckleheads .
This is nuts. What are the odds someone would OD and just happen to end up at the hospital you were at and know you're info? I am betting the hospital made a mistake. You have to fill out so many forms, show ID, insurance info, etc. You can't just give a name and walk out. Even if she was unresponsive when she came in, they wouldn't just take her name and address and leave it at that. I mean, they give you a bracelet with your name, DOB, etc. She would have to know your SS# and everything. The hospital says it is unlikely this is their error but that is the only thing that makes sense. My identity was stolen years ago and someone opened up a cell phone in my name, ironically, in Florida. I have no idea how they got my info. Haven't been to Florida since I was in the fifth grade. It was a hassle but it was clear it wasn't me. The fact this is a place you visited suggests this is an error. Perhaps she said her name was Nichole Baker and then left and when they typed it into the system your name popped up and they assumed she was you. If she had OD'd I am sure she was in a hurry to get out of there before they called the cops. So maybe she gave them a random name and booked out of there. Still, the hospital should never bill someone unless they are sure who the person is. I mean, all the paperwork you have to fill out just to get into the ER. I get she wouldn't have done that before being admitted as she was unresponsive but clearly, she gave them a name and nothing else. Wow. Sorry for the ramble but this stuff makes me so very angry.
ShrinkDavid 1982, there is another possibility. The druggy was without insurance, so they picked a random name or someone with a similar name and bill Nikki's insurance. The hospital wants to get paid, so I would not put it past them to try and scam this type of stuff.
It is 100% on the hospital. They always ask for ID at check in (if you are responsive) or ID at check out....there is no way around that. SO they more than likely clicked the wrong account and are now trying to cover their butts. I would investigate more because you could have a potential winnable lawsuit here for a LOT of money. This is beyond illegal.
That's common these days my daughter's identity was stolen and used for thousands of dollars in car loans and cell phone bills and cable companies! So consider yourself lucky it was only a hospital bill! Good luck though.
Nikki I only have one Question. Of all the sponsors how does this happen? I’m not trying to be rude so let me apologize if this is wrong but didn’t a identity theft protection company sponsor a video recently
VERY TRUE NICKY ! I was going to say that. This Young Lady Caught it Too. Ask for ALL Things. They Put Stuff in your Records , never change things. Not The Best Health Care Right Now. If the OverDose In Records, they still might leave it! They Put stuff in your Records that are NOT Accurate And The Things That should be there aren’t !?’ Good Luck Sweat Nicky 💞😇🙏🏽👼🏼 💞 ✨WE LOVE YA 💜GOO LUCK✨
Previous owners of my landline number conveniently never updated their number for a lot of accounts (we’ve had this number for 17 years now). We get still get calls about these people failing to pay credit and other debts. I ask the collectors about this and they say it’s possible for two entirely different families to have the same phone number. I’m like no it’s not freaking possible. Otherwise you would get a random person every time you dialed a number and if I knew who these people were and where they are, I would tell you because I’ve had enough of their BS for the last 17 years. Find these people in another way because I’ve never been in debt in my life.
You should file a report with the Police, and then give the debt collectors the police report number. Also, if they are claiming you owe them, and u where there. It's up to them to prove it. Also, get a call recording ap and record all calls going in or out. This way, if someone claims they never said anything, you have proof that says otherwise.
It happened to my ex wife while we were married and we fought for a couple years to prove that her identy was stolen but by then the damage was already done
Nikki.....one time my bank account was hacked as part of a phishing scam. Possibly in the past you gave information in email to what you assumed to be a reputable company that you deal with, and that too could have been part of a phishing scam to steal your identity.
It happened to me it took two years to get my name cleared girl used my information to try and get pain meds and so when I went to the er for back injury the doctor said I was flagged and I was just in yesterday I said how could I when I wasn’t even here I was back home luckily the doctor that took care of her was there and he said yea that this is not her and I had to show three forms of ID so they could help me that day and than dealing with the bills took two years with fighting back and forth and getting the flag off my name so embarrassing and yes I’m from Minnesota too
I'd be mad that the guy from the hospital said it's very unlikely to click on the wrong name to bill someone. I've worked in a hospital & it's VERY likely to happen.
You need to call a supervisor at the hospital and get that idiot fired. They take complaints seriously, but you need to complain to someone in charge. Trust me, everyone has a boss.
I'm dealing with something kinda similar. I sold my jeep but some how left my tag for it in it. 😬 I forgot to turn it in. I thought I did. But anyway they wrecked it like months later and apparently had my tag on it, and told them it was still mine. They never sent the title off or anything. So I'm getting billed for $8,000 in damages. Because it was "mine" and the driver never got insurance. 😳 they are threatening to take my licenses... And I've never even had a spending ticket. It's some BS!
It is very likely they clicked on the wrong account. It happened to my husband. We brought our daughter in an ER here in town. My husband and his father have same first and last name but different middle names. We gave the clerk in the Er all our insurance info. My husband and his father do work for same company so use same insurance company. A month or so later, my in-law get a bill from the hospital for almost $1000 for my child because she wasn’t on his insurance. Duh! She’s on ours. They billed my father in law’s insurance plan instead of ours. My mother in law and I both had to pitch a fit to get it fixed.
I'd have gotten a lawyer and sued the shit out of that hospital, especially once they sent it to collections after you jumped through their identity theft paperwork hoops. You may think one or two of the hospital people were nice, but they're not, they're the enemy and they play good cop bad cop. They're victimizing you a second time. Sue them.
I'm sure I do. If it escalated to court I would have no problem proving my whereabouts. I could also pass a drug test. Although I don't really know anything about how long Heroin stays in someone's system and if it would be irrelevant. I just know I've never done it... I'm not interested in dying.
I don't think someone stole her identity. Too much of a coincidence that she had been at that hospital. Likely, the person gave a name and left and the name that came up in the computer was Nikki's so they went with that. Large hospitals and even small ones never know what each department is doing. One reason why these issues are so tough to get resolved. You have to go through a million people before you get resolution because everyone is on a different page.
Same thing happen to my niece she had to become a FBI Found out that a store she had got SOMETHING she purchased an a EMPLOYEE took her card information. It's so crazy the employee who stole the card also went to hospital. Actually her card was swiped on a fake machine. So she had to call police went threw heck but it took awhile but now that Employer is in jail. Good luck Nicki hope you find out who did this ❣
You need to request the PCR report (Prehospital care report). You can get it from medical records at the hospital. I bet they messed up on the paperwork when entering it into the system. Make sure the address on all the documents match. That should fix it.
Worst I've had is a car registered under my name and address and the person got a load of speeding and parking tickets all over the place. Debt collectors in the UK are a joke though, they were not at all helpful. I am still fighting this now after almost 2 years....
Nikki, does that particular hospital not take patient photos and upload them to the patient file and use it as a patient identifier? If not, it might be worth suggesting to them for this very type of situation. That’s what we do where I work. It’s one of the easiest ways to ID someone when they are unable to tell us who they are. It also prevents med errors or other patient errors.
If you have an android phone you can look out google maps for your timeline which will show where you went and what time i dont know if iphone has a similar function,but you can prove you were no where near the hospital
Sorry this happened to you. It is probably just that the person had the same name as you and the hospital assumed it was your account when they looked it up. It is very important, though, that you explicitly tell any collection agents "This is not a valid debt" and that you "have no intention of paying it". Those phrases are important. Collection agencies can manipulate the conversation to trick you into saying something that makes you legally obligated to pay a debt even if it is not yours. Some states have better laws about this than others, but always be very guarded and cautious with what you say. Wish you the best...
Actually it is not uncommon for mistakes to be made with patient mixed up information. I went to college for Medical Records and yes, mix up information can happen if the employee is NOT careful. My theory is that this heroin user could have given your name and since you had been there before, the employee looked that name up and hit on your name information and went from there but that is just what I think could have happened. Hope you are able to get this fiasco fixed.
This is very easy to prove don't let them bully you. If it gets difficult have an attorney write a letter threatening to sue them and send a cease and desist letter. If they ding your credit it's a pay day you can sue them for defamation. I'm a detective and deal with this stuff all the time. Btw Dept collectors have no power, they buy Dept for pennies on the dollar
There is a lot wrong here and I've been dealing with identity theft for almost 2 years. I can give a bit of advice if needed. Once the company that billed you received the identity theft paperwork and police report they should have ceased any and all billing util the investigation was closed. Also, them sending it to collections after getting that info they are in violation of the law. Plus the collection agency is in violation of the law as well for trying to collect on an account that is under investigation and you could sue them as well for HIPAA Violations. You are in the good all the way around and both the hospital and collection agency are in deep if you choose to file suit against them. If you have questions let me know. Here to help if possible. Not an attorney but know from experience over the last couple of years.
You should have the hospital check your medical records and diagnoses against the billing codes. I bet someone clicked on the wrong name. They can also check on records that day for anyone arriving via ambulance with overdose. That part of the record may not be in your name and they can cross reference. Also 911 should be able to identify where the initial call for the ambulance came from.
My husbands credit got stolen and I got a call from a weird bank asking me if I was approve another card for my account. Turns out the guy had an apartment in my husbands name and a bank acct :( I know the pain of straightening credit out.
I know here in Canada, if you don’t show your health card with your picture and info on it. They don’t even see you. I think they put in the wrong name. If you have proof I wouldn’t worry about it. Be safe and take care
If someone comes to the hospital with no ID the use name and date of birth to verify. Not everyone that comes to the hospital is in a state to give all identification or they lack ID.
I have found this type of response is typical from companies in Minnesota. They do not care about anyone or anything but their money. It's only this hard in this ridiculist state. Its disgusting.
Make them (the hospital) check surveillance video of the date in question to see who this was. Also show bank statements of charges you made that night to prove your whereabouts.
Since you filed a stolen identity claim and they still sent it to collections, the hospital may be on the hook for not properly processing the claim and reporting back to you their results before sending on to collections. The laws need to be changed regarding these issues because they have real impact on peoples lives. It should be on the claimant to prove the individual in question actually was the individual who was admitted or visited. There should be video proof somewheres in the hospital on some security camera that you were the one there. Eather when you checked in or checked out. If this progresses, I'd demand video proof you were or weren't the one there.
don't they have security camera's at the hospital? we do here in the UK , im sorry this happened to you nikki,hopefully it gets sorted soon,must be such a worry & causing stress :(
"It usually doesn't happen that we would mix up patients." But it DOES happen. Maybe the hospital will not admit they were in the wrong. Medical staff can be SO condescending at times…and I agree with some of the commenters, get video evidence the day of your "admittance". Show them your airline tickets, hotel bill, credit card statements, and GPS timeline on your phone to prove you weren't there. But then again maybe you have a scam at your hands, as it has been 10 months since this happened. I hope you have filed a fraud alert with the credit reporting bureaus (filing with one will alert all three) as well as the FTC. Keep double-checking your credit report and verify how many lines of credit are in your name… I hope you figure this out soon. Go Team Nikki!
Being that the person was brought in by ambulance "unresponsive" my guess is they either have the same name as you or gave a fake name and just happened to be your same name, and the hospital billing dept. clicked on the wrong account. which means the hospital is at fault.
Sounds like an inside job. Someone who works for the hospital used your name for a friend or family member who didn’t have insurance and couldn’t pay. You should sue the hospital.
More than likely, your name was added to a list which was sold. Lots of employees that have access to that information have sold these lists to insurance companies, etc.
The hospital would have the time and day this person was in there. Maybe they could check the cameras. All ER's have cameras in them! I would at least check it out! Also, keep an eye on your credit cards!!! They could be next!
I've been to the emergency room plenty of times they asked me my birthday after I tell them my name and then they put a wristband around me so minimal information is needed to do so and yes you definitely gave out enough so people to figure it out I've even Google Mapped a restaurant you were talking about I live in Massachusetts so don't worry about it I'm not a stalker but it's that easy so be careful
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
The fake Nikki would be on ambulance, paramedic, police and multiple hospital cameras. They also need to scan ID and Insurance cards...ask for all of this.
That's on The Hospital. You have to show a ID when you're at the Hospital. That's on them...
Not everyone that goes to the hospital has their ID especially if it's someone who overdoses most people don't have any identification on them so yes I agree with you it is on the hospital however it's also on the person for giving the hospital false information because for all they know this person forgot where they lived and they were listing or ask them if a certain address was correct they could have said oh yes and it just so happens to be Nikki's mom's address I've seen it way too many times I've worked around hospitals for a very long time and cases like this are very common especially where I was living
@dustindent after watching johns last fishing video (before I even watched this video) I thought John might have been high just from the way he was talking. However heroine is a downer so it usually makes a person drowsy, unlike meth. What I am trying to get at, now that we know they have split and Nikki has said there is zero possibility of them ever getting back together. I do wonder if maybe this mysteriously high woman that overdosed and someone used Nikki’s name for the hospital has something to do with John. Like maybe John was the one to give Nikki’s name, thinking he would be able to pick the bill up from her mothers and pay it without it being noticed. It’s just an option as to what could have happened, I’m not trying to stir shit up. Just very odd how the timing of the breakup was in relationship to this whole bill fiasco. Not to mention the whole billing thing is really weird and with specific information.
You could pull your credit card statements from that day to verify your Brazilian food meal. What an awful situation! Wishing you the best.
If you want my advice, contact an attorney who deals with this sort of thing. Even if it is just a consultation. I realize that could be more expensive than the bill but this is your identity and while it probably is an error, the attorney could get things rolling. They will push you around hoping you will get scared and pay the bill. An attorney can send a letter hopefully getting them to back off. Debt collectors are the worst. They will say ANYTHING to get you to pay. They will lie, scare you and make you feel like dirt. I would take legal action if it was me, just to make sure this doesn't come back to bite you. One person may tell you it is clear and all of a sudden you have a warrant for your arrest due to the heroin OD. A few months after my dad died I went to buy a car. They ran my credit and told me I was dead. Now, my dad and I shared a name and, somehow, they got things mixed up and I couldn't buy a car, rent an apartment or do anything that required running my credit because someone, somewhere screwed up and it showed I was dead even though I was clearly sitting in front of them. They realized I was alive but because the computer said I was dead, I was dead. Luckily I was able to fix it with the credit bureau. But the point is, don't let it linger. No news isn't always good news.
The hospital cannot release medical info to a third party! I’d sue the hospital
Someone took a peek at your information somewhere, in the hospital, mail and was able to get enough to cause problems. Watch out, Credit cards could be next..
ask them for video proof and visit consumer forum
Do they have cameras in Ambulances? I was wondering that too.
@@NIkkiandJohnVLOG i think emergency things have cameras. We have cameras in the hospital as well as ambulances in India
I'm pretty sure the ambulances where I live have them as well for liability reasons
@@NIkkiandJohnVLOG it's worth asking if they do because this is absolutely not ok. Hopefully you get this all figured out I'm really not sure who else to contact.
Ambulances do have cameras and so do the hospitals. Since they are claiming it is you, then you have a legal right to see the security camera feed from the date and time “you” apparently were at the hospital. If they deny your claim to see the recording from that time and date, then that means they have reasonable doubt that it wasn’t really you and don’t want to violate someone else’s privacy. Call them out on it. Hope everything works out for you!
I would think that it indeed was a mistake in billing since you gave your mom's address at the time of your getting your travel shots.
I don't want to add to your worry but the heroin overdose may be on your health records too, so I would get that checked out as well.
Sorry to hear that. In 2009, someone stole my Wifes purse, shortly after. It started.
They rented and stole 2 Corvettes from the San Francisco airport car rental hub. Took out loans etc. All bad.
Still dealing with it. Good luck.
That sucks. I once had someone buy a laptop with my debit card. You're best off taking it to police and court at this point; the hospital probably made the mistake and is trying to cover their own asses
That's absolutely crazy, Nikki! This shouldn't happen to anyone! It's great that, in the myriad of people thinking about the Hospital's interests, you found someone that is open to helping you. Hope they truly can help! I agree with Sheri Arnold, you should check with the credit bureaux and let them know you are a potential identity theft victim so they can thwart any other attempts. Hopefully it was just someone who wanted to avoid a bill and the embarressement of admitting their addiction problem and they don't try anything else. I know you guys will pull through this! We just hope sooner rather than later. Take care! Can't wait for the vlogs to start back up! Essenam says hi to you and Iris!
So sorry for all the bs you have been having to go threw!! Love ya and stay strong♡
So weird. Got a bill from our local emergency room last month that my 17 yr. Old daughter was in the ER and had tests done. We looked at our phones and we were texting back and forth. The time they said she was there I picked her up from a friend's house and went to work. I still have to call them and discuss it. The weird thing was she did go to the ER another day but left after waiting a few hours and had no tests done. 😒
I’ve had my identity stolen. It’s such a pain. They got my credit cards, got a cell contract, and even got a mortgage with all my info. It took almost two years to clean up the mess and 13k in lawyer fees to fix it.
I’m surprised the poor woman didn’t need a drug test.
What a weird story!
You look gorgeous Nikki! Being a mom looks good on you
I feel with you on this. My wallet was stolen a week ago and a bunch of my cards were used. It’s such a long arduous process. I’m hoping it all goes well. People are such scammers.
This sounds like an elaborate scam to get your information... I would have brought it up to police, because if you gave them information over the phone they now have more information on you. I would refrain from saying much more to them and research it more in depth. Maybe ask a lawyer about what your rights are if someone does have your information
This happened to me. Everyone pretended to listen, I think it is just to get you off the phone. Finally contacted Attorney General (Oregon) with documentation. Include anything that you can to prove that doesn't put you there. Attorney General will also consider witnesses to verify the documentation. Anything with a time stamp, could be time or date from pictures taken by you or friends with you in the picture on that day. Documentation from your doctor stating no signs of drug use. Also send copies of bills, to include debt collection, don't forget to write on each bill "facility used my name by mistake". I have learned dealing with people, that sometime it is easier to conduct business if your response give a satisfactory way out for them. Documentation was the only way I could turn it around for me using State Attorney General's office. Got no where trying to discuss with the billing parties. I talked to a billing company. I asked about why the run around and different answers or assurance. She said that is how collection business is done, we try very hard not to give straight answers so a percentage of those who are not liable for the bill will get tired of the inconvenience and send us the money anyway. Good luck, hope this was helpful. We are much better off now and we let our attorney handle stuff like this now. Even when it cost us more than the bill we didn't owe. This is to minimize future liability through documentation if needed to fight even a bigger bill in the future. Note: The facility has nothing to gain by helping you not to give them money, even if they are wrong. The Facility does have something to gain to force you to pay them, even if they made the mistake (my guess) or stolen identity. If it goes against you in collection, I believe you can still work with credit reporting agencies with documentation to clear your up your report. Good luck, hope this helps
No need to Worry Nikki , You will be alright , Our best Wishes are with you , fight for your right . All the Best !!
loved seeing you... hate you going through this and wasting time... but keep us posted!!
Whoever it was that stole your identity is somebody that you know an old friend or family member
I highly recommend Life Lock. I saved me from identity theft twice in the past few years.
Some hospitals do not give a SHIT. I just went to the hospital a few weeks ago because I hadn't felt movement in 14 hours (I'm pregnant obvi). I was scrambling to find my insurance card and made sure I had my ID and ssn and upon arrival I was only asked my name and birthdate and then admitted.. Like I literally could have said any name and birthdate and they would have just treated me no problem. It was a hospital I have never been to, and I was just so confused.
Geez! That would totally suck! Wishing you lots of luck on getting things resolved though.
It happens all the time. That's why most places ask for ID. But in an emergent situation it would be hard. She probably didn't have insurance.
Same thing happened to my friend but way worst. My friend ended up in county jail because someone used his info. Told him he had a warrant for his arrest because someone filled an domestic violence case against him when he was with us all night. Has so many friends to testify as well. Never had a criminal history no witnesses and the person who filled the case has no proof
A hospital threatened to send me to collections over $16 that my insurance decided not to pay . The first contact they made with me about it was a letter from the hospital telling me that they were turning this horrendous debt over to collections . I paid it immediately , then they refunded it in full two weeks later . Bunch of knuckleheads .
This is nuts. What are the odds someone would OD and just happen to end up at the hospital you were at and know you're info? I am betting the hospital made a mistake. You have to fill out so many forms, show ID, insurance info, etc. You can't just give a name and walk out. Even if she was unresponsive when she came in, they wouldn't just take her name and address and leave it at that. I mean, they give you a bracelet with your name, DOB, etc. She would have to know your SS# and everything. The hospital says it is unlikely this is their error but that is the only thing that makes sense. My identity was stolen years ago and someone opened up a cell phone in my name, ironically, in Florida. I have no idea how they got my info. Haven't been to Florida since I was in the fifth grade. It was a hassle but it was clear it wasn't me. The fact this is a place you visited suggests this is an error. Perhaps she said her name was Nichole Baker and then left and when they typed it into the system your name popped up and they assumed she was you. If she had OD'd I am sure she was in a hurry to get out of there before they called the cops. So maybe she gave them a random name and booked out of there. Still, the hospital should never bill someone unless they are sure who the person is. I mean, all the paperwork you have to fill out just to get into the ER. I get she wouldn't have done that before being admitted as she was unresponsive but clearly, she gave them a name and nothing else. Wow. Sorry for the ramble but this stuff makes me so very angry.
ShrinkDavid 1982, there is another possibility. The druggy was without insurance, so they picked a random name or someone with a similar name and bill Nikki's insurance. The hospital wants to get paid, so I would not put it past them to try and scam this type of stuff.
It is 100% on the hospital. They always ask for ID at check in (if you are responsive) or ID at check out....there is no way around that. SO they more than likely clicked the wrong account and are now trying to cover their butts. I would investigate more because you could have a potential winnable lawsuit here for a LOT of money. This is beyond illegal.
It’s a good idea to put a freeze on your credit just in case
don't they have video footage at the hospital or the places you were!!???
That's common these days my daughter's identity was stolen and used for thousands of dollars in car loans and cell phone bills and cable companies! So consider yourself lucky it was only a hospital bill! Good luck though.
send them a bill for $20,000
You should pull your credit from all three bureaus, see if there is anything else on there.
Nikki I only have one Question. Of all the sponsors how does this happen? I’m not trying to be rude so let me apologize if this is wrong but didn’t a identity theft protection company sponsor a video recently
The hospital doesn't run a credit check so this doesn't apply. That is only good if you run your ss# to buy something.
Its actually more common than you would think that they would mix up names. I've heard it happen and I've worked in clinics where it has happened too.
That definitely sounds like the hospital is at fault, just stay strong and keep your head up
VERY TRUE NICKY ! I was going to say that. This Young Lady Caught it Too. Ask for ALL Things. They Put Stuff in your Records , never change things. Not The Best Health Care Right Now. If the OverDose In Records, they still might leave it!
They Put stuff in your Records that are NOT Accurate And The Things That should be there aren’t !?’ Good
Luck Sweat Nicky 💞😇🙏🏽👼🏼 💞
✨WE LOVE YA 💜GOO LUCK✨
Previous owners of my landline number conveniently never updated their number for a lot of accounts (we’ve had this number for 17 years now). We get still get calls about these people failing to pay credit and other debts. I ask the collectors about this and they say it’s possible for two entirely different families to have the same phone number. I’m like no it’s not freaking possible. Otherwise you would get a random person every time you dialed a number and if I knew who these people were and where they are, I would tell you because I’ve had enough of their BS for the last 17 years. Find these people in another way because I’ve never been in debt in my life.
You should file a report with the Police, and then give the debt collectors the police report number. Also, if they are claiming you owe them, and u where there. It's up to them to prove it. Also, get a call recording ap and record all calls going in or out. This way, if someone claims they never said anything, you have proof that says otherwise.
It happened to my ex wife while we were married and we fought for a couple years to prove that her identy was stolen but by then the damage was already done
I've gone through the same thing...hospital bill from Florida, never been there.
I've never shown my ID walking into the emergency room I tell them my name address and birthday and they put the band around my wrist
Nikki.....one time my bank account was hacked as part of a phishing scam. Possibly in the past you gave information in email to what you assumed to be a reputable company that you deal with, and that too could have been part of a phishing scam to steal your identity.
It happened to me it took two years to get my name cleared girl used my information to try and get pain meds and so when I went to the er for back injury the doctor said I was flagged and I was just in yesterday I said how could I when I wasn’t even here I was back home luckily the doctor that took care of her was there and he said yea that this is not her and I had to show three forms of ID so they could help me that day and than dealing with the bills took two years with fighting back and forth and getting the flag off my name so embarrassing and yes I’m from Minnesota too
Ive had my identity stolen. You need to file a police report, I dont see it getting resolved until you do.
I'd be mad that the guy from the hospital said it's very unlikely to click on the wrong name to bill someone. I've worked in a hospital & it's VERY likely to happen.
You need to call a supervisor at the hospital and get that idiot fired. They take complaints seriously, but you need to complain to someone in charge. Trust me, everyone has a boss.
Praying that this problem will be solved!
I'm dealing with something kinda similar. I sold my jeep but some how left my tag for it in it. 😬 I forgot to turn it in. I thought I did. But anyway they wrecked it like months later and apparently had my tag on it, and told them it was still mine. They never sent the title off or anything. So I'm getting billed for $8,000 in damages. Because it was "mine" and the driver never got insurance. 😳 they are threatening to take my licenses... And I've never even had a spending ticket. It's some BS!
It is very likely they clicked on the wrong account. It happened to my husband. We brought our daughter in an ER here in town. My husband and his father have same first and last name but different middle names. We gave the clerk in the Er all our insurance info. My husband and his father do work for same company so use same insurance company. A month or so later, my in-law get a bill from the hospital for almost $1000 for my child because she wasn’t on his insurance. Duh! She’s on ours. They billed my father in law’s insurance plan instead of ours. My mother in law and I both had to pitch a fit to get it fixed.
Shit like that pisses me the hell off. Sorry you had to deal with that.
It is the Hospital's fault.
When people go in for a drug overdose usually the police are notified. There should be a report. They would have the real Identity of the person.
Track your card with the app u have cause you can see wear it gets charged
I'd have gotten a lawyer and sued the shit out of that hospital, especially once they sent it to collections after you jumped through their identity theft paperwork hoops. You may think one or two of the hospital people were nice, but they're not, they're the enemy and they play good cop bad cop. They're victimizing you a second time. Sue them.
Do you have any videos with time stamp that show you were doing something else or at home during the time they are claiming you were in the hospital.
I'm sure I do. If it escalated to court I would have no problem proving my whereabouts. I could also pass a drug test. Although I don't really know anything about how long Heroin stays in someone's system and if it would be irrelevant. I just know I've never done it... I'm not interested in dying.
this is exactly why to never use real names on social media platforms
My excuse as well
You DO realize that people get their identity stolen ALL the time and don't have their names on RUclips. . . This sadly is very very common.
My fake online name is Rusty Shackleford.
I don't think someone stole her identity. Too much of a coincidence that she had been at that hospital. Likely, the person gave a name and left and the name that came up in the computer was Nikki's so they went with that. Large hospitals and even small ones never know what each department is doing. One reason why these issues are so tough to get resolved. You have to go through a million people before you get resolution because everyone is on a different page.
Same thing happen to my niece she had to become a FBI Found out that a store she had got SOMETHING she purchased an a EMPLOYEE took her card information. It's so crazy the employee who stole the card also went to hospital. Actually her card was swiped on a fake machine. So she had to call police went threw heck but it took awhile but now that Employer is in jail. Good luck Nicki hope you find out who did this ❣
You need to request the PCR report (Prehospital care report). You can get it from medical records at the hospital. I bet they messed up on the paperwork when entering it into the system. Make sure the address on all the documents match. That should fix it.
The hospital will also have cctv so when this person left the hospital they’ll be able to point them out and show it’s not you
Worst I've had is a car registered under my name and address and the person got a load of speeding and parking tickets all over the place. Debt collectors in the UK are a joke though, they were not at all helpful.
I am still fighting this now after almost 2 years....
Nikki, does that particular hospital not take patient photos and upload them to the patient file and use it as a patient identifier? If not, it might be worth suggesting to them for this very type of situation. That’s what we do where I work. It’s one of the easiest ways to ID someone when they are unable to tell us who they are. It also prevents med errors or other patient errors.
If you have an android phone you can look out google maps for your timeline which will show where you went and what time i dont know if iphone has a similar function,but you can prove you were no where near the hospital
Sorry this happened to you. It is probably just that the person had the same name as you and the hospital assumed it was your account when they looked it up. It is very important, though, that you explicitly tell any collection agents "This is not a valid debt" and that you "have no intention of paying it". Those phrases are important. Collection agencies can manipulate the conversation to trick you into saying something that makes you legally obligated to pay a debt even if it is not yours. Some states have better laws about this than others, but always be very guarded and cautious with what you say. Wish you the best...
Actually it is not uncommon for mistakes to be made with patient mixed up information. I went to college for Medical Records and yes, mix up information can happen if the employee is NOT careful. My theory is that this heroin user could have given your name and since you had been there before, the employee looked that name up and hit on your name information and went from there but that is just what I think could have happened.
Hope you are able to get this fiasco fixed.
This is very easy to prove don't let them bully you. If it gets difficult have an attorney write a letter threatening to sue them and send a cease and desist letter. If they ding your credit it's a pay day you can sue them for defamation. I'm a detective and deal with this stuff all the time. Btw Dept collectors have no power, they buy Dept for pennies on the dollar
Identify theft is a common thing these days 😕 hope you get everything straightened out😞
Omg! I thought that only happened in the movies!!! Now that's so scary...
Hope you get through this 🤗🙏
There is a lot wrong here and I've been dealing with identity theft for almost 2 years. I can give a bit of advice if needed. Once the company that billed you received the identity theft paperwork and police report they should have ceased any and all billing util the investigation was closed. Also, them sending it to collections after getting that info they are in violation of the law. Plus the collection agency is in violation of the law as well for trying to collect on an account that is under investigation and you could sue them as well for HIPAA Violations. You are in the good all the way around and both the hospital and collection agency are in deep if you choose to file suit against them. If you have questions let me know. Here to help if possible. Not an attorney but know from experience over the last couple of years.
You should have the hospital check your medical records and diagnoses against the billing codes. I bet someone clicked on the wrong name. They can also check on records that day for anyone arriving via ambulance with overdose. That part of the record may not be in your name and they can cross reference. Also 911 should be able to identify where the initial call for the ambulance came from.
My husbands credit got stolen and I got a call from a weird bank asking me if I was approve another card for my account. Turns out the guy had an apartment in my husbands name and a bank acct :( I know the pain of straightening credit out.
I feel your pain. This is so frustrating.
I know here in Canada, if you don’t show your health card with your picture and info on it. They don’t even see you. I think they put in the wrong name. If you have proof I wouldn’t worry about it. Be safe and take care
If someone comes to the hospital with no ID the use name and date of birth to verify. Not everyone that comes to the hospital is in a state to give all identification or they lack ID.
Have them do a hair toxicology test. That will prove that there was no drugs in your system.
Sorry Nikki, that's rough 😔
Ever lose a wallet that had your license in it?
Why dont they just go to the address where the ambulance picked the person, who was using your identity, up???
I have found this type of response is typical from companies in Minnesota. They do not care about anyone or anything but their money. It's only this hard in this ridiculist state. Its disgusting.
I’m the original ranter on RUclips ;)
Good job though.
Make sure to get a credit report on yourself to see if someone is using your identity. Hope everything gets resolved quickly.
Make them (the hospital) check surveillance video of the date in question to see who this was. Also show bank statements of charges you made that night to prove your whereabouts.
Love you guys!!💕💕
Since you filed a stolen identity claim and they still sent it to collections, the hospital may be on the hook for not properly processing the claim and reporting back to you their results before sending on to collections.
The laws need to be changed regarding these issues because they have real impact on peoples lives. It should be on the claimant to prove the individual in question actually was the individual who was admitted or visited. There should be video proof somewheres in the hospital on some security camera that you were the one there. Eather when you checked in or checked out.
If this progresses, I'd demand video proof you were or weren't the one there.
Send them a cease and desist!! Threaten them with legal action. They are now being harassing to you!
Get a lawyer.
It happened to me also n i had to send all the same info to every agency to get it fixed
You should report this to the police as well, if you haven't already. This is serious stuff!
You really need to use anti RFID sleeves for your credit and debit cards and keep checking your Bank Transactions every two,three days.
What a terrible and stressful thing to happen 😢😢
I don't believe the heroin overdose I love you and iris to
don't they have security camera's at the hospital? we do here in the UK , im sorry this happened to you nikki,hopefully it gets sorted soon,must be such a worry & causing stress :(
"It usually doesn't happen that we would mix up patients." But it DOES happen. Maybe the hospital will not admit they were in the wrong. Medical staff can be SO condescending at times…and I agree with some of the commenters, get video evidence the day of your "admittance". Show them your airline tickets, hotel bill, credit card statements, and GPS timeline on your phone to prove you weren't there.
But then again maybe you have a scam at your hands, as it has been 10 months since this happened. I hope you have filed a fraud alert with the credit reporting bureaus (filing with one will alert all three) as well as the FTC. Keep double-checking your credit report and verify how many lines of credit are in your name…
I hope you figure this out soon. Go Team Nikki!
Being that the person was brought in by ambulance "unresponsive" my guess is they either have the same name as you or gave a fake name and just happened to be your same name, and the hospital billing dept. clicked on the wrong account. which means the hospital is at fault.
Sounds like an inside job. Someone who works for the hospital used your name for a friend or family member who didn’t have insurance and couldn’t pay. You should sue the hospital.
More than likely, your name was added to a list which was sold. Lots of employees that have access to that information have sold these lists to insurance companies, etc.
The hospital would have the time and day this person was in there. Maybe they could check the cameras. All ER's have cameras in them! I would at least check it out! Also, keep an eye on your credit cards!!! They could be next!
I've been to the emergency room plenty of times they asked me my birthday after I tell them my name and then they put a wristband around me so minimal information is needed to do so and yes you definitely gave out enough so people to figure it out I've even Google Mapped a restaurant you were talking about I live in Massachusetts so don't worry about it I'm not a stalker but it's that easy so be careful