Notice of Data Event
July 28, 2023
Jefferson County Health Centers (“JCHC”) is providing notice of an event that occurred, which may affect the privacy of certain information.
What Happened? On May 30, 2023, JCHC discovered suspicious activity on our network. JCHC moved quickly to secure the systems and launched an investigation, to determine the nature and scope of the activity. Through the investigation, JCHC determined that an unknown actor gained access to certain systems between April 24, 2023 and May 30, 2023. As a result, the unknown actor may have had access to certain files within these systems and information may have been accessed or acquired.
What Information Was Involved? JCHC has no evidence of any identity theft or fraud in connection with this incident, JCHC is notifying those individuals whose information was present in the system at the time of the incident. JCHC’s review determined that information related to certain individuals may have been present in one of the impacted systems may have included the following types of information: social security number, health insurance information, medical history, medical treatment information, diagnosis, and date of birth. While not every type of information was available for each individual, JCHC has sent letters to potentially affected individuals, which includes a list of the specific information for them.
What Is JCHC Doing. JCHC takes this incident and the security of information within our care very seriously. Upon being notified of this incident, JCHC immediately launched an investigation to determine the nature and scope of this incident. As part of our ongoing commitment to the privacy of information in our care, JCHC is reviewing existing security policies and procedures and are working to evaluate additional measures to further protect against similar incidents moving forward.
JCHC will also be notifying state and federal regulators, as required. In addition, JCHC offering credit monitoring and identity theft protection services through Sontiq.
What You Can Do. JCHC encourages everyone to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud, to review your account statements, and to monitor your credit reports for suspicious activity and to detect errors. Individuals may also review and consider the information and resources outlined in the below “Steps Individuals Can Take To Help Protect Your Information”
For More Information. JCHC understands that you may have questions that are not addressed. If you have additional questions, please call the dedicated assistance line at 1-833-598-1841 which is available Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. ET, excluding holidays, or write to JCHC at 2000 South Main Street, Fairfield, IA 52556. JCHC recommends that potentially impacted individuals follow the recommendations in the letter they received and contact the call center with any questions.
STEPS INDIVIDUALS CAN TAKE TO HELP PROTECT YOUR INFORMATION
Monitor Account
Under U.S. law you are entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus. To order your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. You may also contact the three major credit bureaus directly to request a free copy of your credit report.
You have the right to place a “security freeze” on your credit report, which will prohibit a consumer reporting agency from releasing information in your credit report without your express authorization. The security 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 security 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 security freeze on your credit report. Should you wish to place a security freeze, please contact the major consumer reporting agencies listed below:
In order to request a security freeze, you will need to provide the following information:
- Your full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.);
- Social Security number;
- Date of birth;
- If you have moved in the past five (5) years, provide the addresses where you have lived over the prior five years;
- Proof of current address, such as a current utility bill or telephone bill;
- A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver’s license or ID card, military identification, etc.);
- If you are a victim of identity theft, include a copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft.
As an alternative to a security freeze, you have the right to place an initial or extended “fraud alert” on your 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 agencies listed below:
You can further educate yourself regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, security freezes, and the steps you can take to protect yourself by contacting the consumer reporting agencies, the Federal Trade Commission, or your state Attorney General.
The Federal Trade Commission can be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20580, www.identitytheft.gov, 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); 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.