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Updated
November 20, 2009
What happened?
Moriarty & Primack, PC, the independent auditors for Smith’s Emeriti
Retiree Health Benefit Plan reported that on the evening of October 26, 2009, three
laptop computers were stolen from their Springfield, Mass., offices. One of the laptops
contained data on current and retired Smith College employees, including names and
Social Security numbers. Moriarity & Primack have indicated that the laptop was
password protected. The files could only be accessed via proprietary, password-protected
software that was installed on the laptop.
Who is investigating?
Moriarty & Primack contacted the Springfield Police Department, the
Springfield office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Office of the Attorney General, and Monarch Place Security.
I am not a participant in the Emeriti
Retiree Health Benefit Program. Why did I receive a letter?
Certain non-participants were included
in the data for audit sampling and testing purposes. Letters were sent to all those
whose personal data was a part of the data breach.
Will employees be notified of progress in the
investigation?
We are in regular communication with Moriarty & Primack and the
Springfield police. If details regarding the incident are released by the authorities
we will post them on this site.
What can I do to protect myself from fraud?
If you don’t already monitor your accounts and credit reports for signs of
fraud or identity theft, then this is a good time to start the practice. If you detect
any fraudulent activity or evidence of identify theft on any of your accounts, you
should immediately contact the police, your bank, and any credit institutions with
which you do business. You may also request that the credit reporting agencies place
a security freeze on your credit report. A security freeze prohibits a credit-reporting
agency from releasing any information from a consumer’s credit report without
written authorization. (Note that placing a security freeze on your credit report
may delay, interfere with, or prevent the timely approval of any requests you yourself
make for new loans, credit mortgages, employment, housing or other services.) A security
freeze remains in place until removed by you.
Do I have to cover the cost of a security freeze
or credit monitoring myself?
If you have been a victim of identity theft, and you provide the credit-reporting
agency with a valid police report, it cannot charge you to place, lift or remove
a security freeze. In all other cases, a credit-reporting agency may charge you up
to $5 each to place, temporarily lift, or permanently remove a security freeze. Moriarty
and Primack will reimburse you for the one-time cost of placing and removing a security
freeze on each of your credit reports over the next 12 months. You can mail your
receipts to: Moriarty & Primack, Attn: Dept. S, One Monarch Place, Springfield,
MA 01144.
By law, individuals are entitled to receive one free
credit report annually. If an additional report is desired as a result of this data
breach, Smith College will reimburse an individual up to a maximum of $40. The credit
report must be requested prior to April 30, 2010, in order to be reimbursed. Reimbursements
must be submitted via the standard expense reimbursement form on the Controller’s
Office Web site.
How can I get a copy of the police report?
Contact the Springfield, Mass., Police Department. Police reports must be requested
in writing.
Springfield Police Department
Attn: Records
PO Box 308
Springfield, MA 01104
Where can I get more information?
The Attorney General’s Office for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has a special
Web section that spells out how to protect yourself when data security is breached
and the possibility of identity theft exists. This resource can be found at: www.mass.gov/Cago/docs/Consumer/identity_theft_022708.pdf |
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