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American Osteopathic Association (“AOA”) is providing notice of a recent incident that may affect the security of certain information relating to AOA members.
On June 25, 2020, AOA became aware of suspicious activity relating to certain information technology (IT) systems. Upon discovery, AOA worked with third-party forensic investigators to investigate the nature and scope of the activity and the AOA IT systems of interest. We determined that certain information within our systems was exfiltrated from our systems by an unauthorized actor. In response, we conducted a deliberate and thorough assessment of the information impacted during this event and to whom that information pertained. Like many businesses, the AOA experienced considerable challenges to AOA’s normal business operations because of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, it has taken time for AOA to identify the names and addresses of potentially impacted individuals due to the pandemic’s impact on our staff’s working conditions, and their inability to be on location to identify all potentially impacted parties. On June 1, 2021, we confirmed that information relating to some organization members was impacted by this event. While we are unaware of any actual or attempted malicious use of member information as a result of this incident, we take the security of data we hold very seriously, and are notifying impacted parties out of an abundance of caution.
While the information varied depending on the individual, AOA’s investigation determined that at the time of the incident the impacted systems contained information including member names, and depending on the individual, Social Security number, financial account information, and email address/username and password.
The confidentiality, privacy, and security of personal information within our care is among AOA’s highest priorities. Upon learning of the event, we investigated to determine those individuals that were affected, and secured the compromised accounts. We have taken additional steps to improve security and better protect against similar incidents in the future. In an abundance of caution, we are also notifying potentially affected individuals through this notice and other communications, so that potentially impacted parties can take further steps to best protect their personal information, should they feel it is appropriate to do so. Although we are unaware of any actual or attempted misuse of personal information as a result of this event, we arranged to have Kroll Information Assurance (Kroll) protect the identity of potentially impacted parties for 12 months at no cost as an added precaution.
We encourage the potentially impacted parties to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing your account statements and monitoring your free credit reports for suspicious activity and to detect errors over the next 12 to 24 months. You may also review the information contained in the below Steps You Can Take to Protect Personal Information.
You may have questions about this incident. Call this number if you have questions, 1-855-732-0719 between 9:00am and 6:30pm Eastern Time Monday through Friday, excluding major U.S. holidays. You may also write to AOA at 142 E. Ontario St. Chicago, IL 60611.
Under U.S. law, a consumer is entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. To order your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. You may also directly contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below to request a free copy of your credit report.
Consumers have the right to place an initial or extended “fraud alert” on a credit file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumer’s credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumer’s credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumer’s identity before extending new credit. If you are a victim of identity theft, you are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years. Should you wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any one of the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below.
As an alternative to a fraud alert, consumers have the right to place a “credit freeze” on a credit report, which will prohibit a credit bureau from releasing information in the credit report without the consumer’s express authorization. The credit freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in your name without your consent. However, you should be aware that using a credit freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in your credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application you make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit. Pursuant to federal law, you cannot be charged to place or lift a credit freeze on your credit report. To request a security freeze, you will need to provide the following information:
Should you wish to place a fraud alert or credit freeze, please contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below:
You may further educate yourself regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, credit freezes, and the steps you can take to protect your personal information by contacting the consumer reporting bureaus, the Federal Trade Commission, or your state Attorney General. The Federal Trade Commission may be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20580; www.identitytheft.gov; 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. You can obtain further information on how to file such a complaint by way of the contact information listed above. You have the right to file a police report if you ever experience identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a report with law enforcement for identity theft, you will likely need to provide some proof that you have been a victim. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement and your state Attorney General. This notice has not been delayed by law enforcement.
For Maryland residents, the Maryland Attorney General may be contacted at: 200 St. Paul Place, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202; 1-410-528-8662 or 1-888-743-0023; and www.oag.state.md.us. AOA is located at 142 E. Ontario St. Chicago, IL 60611-2864.
For North Carolina residents, the North Carolina Attorney General may be contacted at: 9001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-9001; 1-877-566-7226 or 1-919-716-6000; and www.ncdoj.gov.
For New Mexico residents, you have rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, such as the right to be told if information in your credit file has been used against you, the right to know what is in your credit file, the right to ask for your credit score, and the right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information. Further, pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the consumer reporting bureaus must correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information; consumer reporting agencies may not report outdated negative information; access to your file is limited; you must give your consent for credit reports to be provided to employers; you may limit “prescreened” offers of credit and insurance you get based on information in your credit report; and you may seek damages from violator. You may have additional rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act not summarized here. Identity theft victims and active duty military personnel have specific additional rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act. We encourage you to review your rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act by visiting www.consumerfinance.gov/f/201504_cfpb_summary_your-rights-under-fcra.pdf, or by writing Consumer Response Center, Room 130-A, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580.
For Rhode Island residents, the Rhode Island Attorney General may be reached at: 150 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903; www.riag.ri.gov; and 1-401-274-4400. Under Rhode Island law, you have the right to obtain any police report filed in regard to this incident. There are 124 Rhode Island residents impacted by this incident.
For New York residents, the New York Attorney General may be contacted at: Office of the Attorney General, The Capitol, Albany, NY 12224-0341; 1-800-771-7755; or https://ag.ny.gov/.