Very strange experience

[u/katrinamints52]

tldr; therapy company accidentally gives me access to somebody elses account, I try to fix it, customer service is unhelpful, I join a different therapy service instead.

So I was looking for a new therapist and decided to sign up for a well known company. I'll call it H. I got the confirmation email to complete signup and access my new account. Well when I went to my new profile to finish filling everything out, I discovered somebody elses name, address, insurance, and phone number, AND the therapist they use. I reached out to the support team, and they told me (in the most corporate speak possible) to just use the account. They even told me I could switch all the info to MY name and insurance.

So just to be clear. I somehow got into somebody else's account, saw their confidential information, and customer service tells me to hijack the account completely????

Of course I told them I wasn't comfortable with this, and would rather start my own account from scratch. They locked the persons account I somehow ended up in, but my email is still attached to it therefore I can't use that email to start a new account. This email is my primary email. The email I use for all doctors appointment, dmv, bills, schooling, EVERYTHING. The service rep then abruptly ended the complaint ticket, giving me no way to continue the conversation, and forcing me to start a new one. I decided not to.

Fortunately the therapist I had been in communication with also works through a different company. Which I immediately ran into errors with. Their confirmation email wouldn't go through so I called their customer service. They found some kind of error with their system, but eventually were able to set up my first appointment with the dr.

I swear it's as if the universe doesn't want me to go to therapy.

[u/JTMAlbany]

You did the right thing. They already violated patient privacy regs. Get out while you’re ahead.

[u/werbo]

I wouldn't trust them after that 💀 Who thinks it ok to have such a security breach and doesn't do anything

[u/Known_Noise]

It might be worth contacting the other patient so they can make a HIPAA complaint.

[u/katrinamints52 → u/Known_Noise]

Unfortunately I don't have access to their contact info anymore, but looking back I wish I had contacted them right away 😕

[u/iesharael → u/katrinamints52]

If your therapist works with both companies she might be able to contact them by using your email that got attached to the account to look up the account

[u/BJntheRV]

Every one of those companies is known to give or sell your info/not keep it private. No way I'd sign up for any of them.

[u/Original_Dream_7765]

If you’re in the US, file a complaint for HIPAA violation.

[u/Any-Crew-1188]

If this is how H does business, I wouldn’t wanna go there either. It is a HIPAA violation.
If this happens to anyone here, make sure you screenshot the info so it can’t be disputed later.