Philadelphia Data Breach Impacts ThousandsPhiladelphia Data Breach Impacts Thousands Over 35,000 Philadelphia residents’ sensitive information has been compromised in a data breach affecting city email accounts. The breach occurred between May 26 and July 28, 2022, potentially exposing a wide range of personal data. Affected Information: The vulnerable information includes: * Name * Address * Date of birth * Driver’s license * Citizen service number * Financial account information * Medical and billing data * Health insurance data * Occupational health data Investigation and Notification: City officials investigated the impacted email accounts to identify targets. Affected individuals have been notified, particularly those with protected health information who were contacted by the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services (DBHIDS). Recommended Actions for Affected Individuals: To protect themselves from identity theft or fraud, affected residents should: * Monitor bank statements, credit reports, and benefit explanation forms for suspicious activity. * Report any unusual activity to relevant institutions (insurance company, healthcare provider, bank). * Place a free “fraud alert” on credit files through Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. Additional Information: The city of Philadelphia has issued a privacy statement on their website providing further details about the breach. Residents are urged to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity promptly.
Philadelphia city officials are warning residents about a data breach that could leave their information vulnerable. More than 35,000 people have been affected, according to city data.
A privacy statement on the city’s website says an investigation revealed the breach may have occurred between May 26 and July 28 of last year because “an unauthorized individual may have gained access to certain city email accounts and certain information contained therein.”
Officials say they have investigated the potentially affected email accounts to determine who the hacker targeted.
While the investigation was ongoing, the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services (DBHIDS) contacted everyone with protected health information to alert them.
The investigation concluded Friday after city workers reviewed the latest results. Philadelphia officials said they would now contact those affected.
The information made vulnerable by this data breach impacts Pennsylvania residents, according to a notice on the city’s website.
What information is affected by this?
- Name
- Address
- Date of birth
- Drivers license
- Citizen service number
- Financial account information
- Medical data and billing data
- Health insurance data
- Occupational health data
What should I do if my data has been compromised?
The city urges everyone to remain vigilant by continually checking bank statements, credit reports and benefit explanation forms for errors or unusual activity.
If you see any strange activity on your accounts, you should report it to your insurance company, health care provider, bank or other relevant institution, the city said.
To stay ahead of suspicious activity, you can also place a “fraud alert” on your credit file for free, valid for one year. You can do this by contacting Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion directly.
Click here to read the city’s full privacy statement on their website.
