'There is no indication that any confidential information has been misused or disclosed,' says the medical group whose computers were stolen in a letter to patients, but 'we want you to be fully informed so that you can take any steps you feel are appropriate to protect yourself.'

Local police are investigating the incident. San Jose Medical Group has alerted each of the three major credit bureaus and informed them of the theft.

Fraud Alert

"There is no indication that any confidential information has been misused or disclosed," the company says in a letter to patients posted on its website, but "we want you to be fully informed so that you can take any steps you feel are appropriate to protect yourself."

San Jose Medical Group is advising patients to place a fraud alert on their credit files by contacting one of the three major credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion Corp.

Placing a fraud alert on a file is a message to creditors to verify information with the account holder before opening new lines of credit or making other changes. The medical group acknowledges that such an action on the part of the patients affected by the theft could make it more time-consuming for them to acquire new credit in the future.

Those who do file a fraud alert will receive a credit report from each major agency in three months, explains San Jose Medical Group in its letter. The firm advises patients to peruse the reports carefully, looking for any unfamiliar accounts, inaccurate information or other signs that something may be amiss.

Credit Reports

The California Office of Privacy Protection recommends that the potentially vulnerable individuals check their credit reports every three months for a year follwoing the breach, even if they find no suspicious signs. Victim information sometimes is held for use or shared among a group of thieves at different times, San Jose Medical Group notes.

Those who find suspicious activity on their credit reports or any reason to believe their information has been appropriated should report it to local law enforcement agencies and keep a copy of the associated police report, San Jose Medical Group advises. Creditors may want the information it contains to absolve victims of fraudulent debts.

A complaint also should be filed with the FTC at www.consumer.gov/idtheft or at 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338), the firm says. It will be added to the FTC’s Identity Theft Data Clearinghouse, where it will be accessible to law enforcers for future investigations.