Protecting Your Practice: Lessons Learned from a Real-Life Theft Incident
Jul 22, 2025Four minutes. That's all it took for professional thieves to steal three credit cards from Kendall's spa while staff members worked just feet away. What followed was a weeks-long investigation that revealed a sophisticated scam targeting healthcare clinics nationwide—one that had already hit Anna's practice with an eerily similar pattern.
The theft began innocuously enough: two women entered the spa during regular business hours, one expressing interest in booking an appointment while her companion requested to use the restroom. While the front desk staff focused on the booking process, the accomplice bypassed the restroom entirely, heading straight to the unlocked break room to steal from staff purses.
"Her bag was in the break room, and our break room was unlocked. And they took these three credit cards. They didn't take the cash, they didn't take the bag, they didn't take anything else," Kendall explains, highlighting the targeted nature of the crime. The thieves knew exactly what they were looking for and how to get it quickly.
What makes this scam particularly insidious is its professional execution. The criminals wore COVID masks and hooded coats, making identification difficult while appearing completely normal for the timeframe. They used stolen credit cards to book appointments, creating additional fraud complications when the cards were later disputed. Most concerning, they had clearly researched the spa layout, possibly through online virtual tours.
The investigation process revealed the scope of this criminal operation. Police footage from the grocery store where the cards were immediately used confirmed the theft, showing the same individuals captured on the spa's security cameras. "These two women have been going around town to different businesses stealing cards and using them at different places to steal more cards," Kendall discovered, learning this wasn't an isolated incident but part of a larger pattern.
Anna's practice experienced an almost identical scenario, but with a crucial difference: their neighboring chiropractor had already encountered the duo and called to warn Anna's staff as the thieves approached. "The chiropractor's got a weird vibe and watched them come over to the acupuncture clinic called. And so as they walk in, Janine's on the phone to the chiropractor who's saying, don't, don't, don't. There's something up," Anna recounts, demonstrating how professional networks can provide crucial protection.
Both hosts learned that this specific scam specifically targets healthcare clinics. The pattern remains consistent: two women, one requesting appointments while the other asks for restroom access, then theft from unsecured staff areas. Property management companies and police have confirmed this as a widespread issue affecting healthcare practices nationwide.
The conversation extends beyond physical security to address cybersecurity concerns, particularly following recent alerts from Jane EMR about potential account breaches. Both practices had to navigate the challenge of implementing multi-factor authentication while managing staff resistance to additional login requirements. "When I put MFA on as a mandatory thing, I got so much pushback that I took it off again," Anna admits, before ultimately reinstating it after the security alerts.
The hosts share practical security measures they've implemented post-theft: keycode locks on break rooms, enhanced staff training on fraud prevention, stricter credit card verification protocols, and improved camera systems. They emphasize that physical security requires the same attention as HIPAA compliance and digital protection.
Perhaps most importantly, both leaders stress trusting intuition when something feels wrong. "Trust your gut... it's okay to refuse service. It's okay to hold your ground," Kendall advises, noting how her staff member had sensed something was off but hadn't acted on that instinct.
This episode serves as both a cautionary tale and practical guide for wellness practice owners who may believe their healing-focused environments are immune to such calculated crimes. The reality is that healthcare practices present attractive targets due to their typically trusting atmospheres, valuable equipment, and frequent patient turnover that makes strangers less noticeable.
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About Anna Rudel
Anna Rudel, L. Ac is the owner and founder of Lokahi Acupuncture Clinic in San Jose California, founded in 2003. Anna is a master organizer and clinician, and as a Coach she specializes in working with Clinic Owners in the state of California, and Acupuncturists and Acupuncture Clinic Owners, or groups wanting to add Acupuncture worldwide, as well as teams that need support with employee retention and satisfaction. Born in the UK, Anna has traveled extensively in Asia and now has a thriving multi-practitioner clinic in the US!
Anna's Website and Links
- Website: https://lokahiacupuncture.com/
- Learn Group Coaching: https://www.wellnesscentercreators.com/group-coaching
- For info about Individual Coaching: https://www.wellnesscentercreators.com/individual-coaching
About Kendall Hagensen
Kendall is a Somatic Mental Health Therapist, Multidisciplinary Clinic Owner and Business Coach. She specializes in, and is passionate about, working with healthcare professionals to create the businesses of their dreams. Big goals always have a psychological component beneath the surface, so Kendall uses her background in Somatic Psychotherapy and EMDR Therapy mixed with Business Coaching tools to help clients develop a healthy relationship with their business and their strength as a leader.
As someone who lives with a chronic illness herself, Kendall feels that health happens best within community, which is why she takes a holistic, integrative, and collaborative wellness approach to her personal and professional life.
Kendall’s Web/Social Links