City officials in Philadelphia are warning residents of a data breach that could make their information vulnerable. Over 35,000 people were affected, according to city data.
In a privacy notice on the city's website, they say an investigation found that the breach possibly happened between May 26 and July 28 of last year as "an unauthorized actor may have gained access to certain City email accounts and certain information contained therein."
Officials say they reviewed the potentially impacted email accounts to figure out who was targeted by the hacker.
As the investigation was happening, Philadelphia's Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS) contacted anyone with protected health information to alert them.
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The investigation wrapped on Friday as city workers finished reviewing the last of the results and Philadelphia officials say they will now reach out to impacted people.
The information that was made vulnerable in this data breach affects Pennsylvania residents, according to the city's notice on their website.
What information was impacted?
- Name
- Address
- Date of birth
- Driver's license
- Social Security number
- Financial account data
- Medical data and billing details
- Health insurance details
- Occupational health-related data
What should I do if my information is affected?
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Everyone is urged by the city to remain vigilant by continuously reviewing account statements, credit reports and explanations of benefits forms for any errors and unusual activity.
If you do see any strange activity in your accounts, you should report it to your insurance company, health care provider, bank or relevant institution, according to the city.
To stay ahead of any suspicious activity, you can also place a "fraud alert" on your credit file for free that lasts for one year. You can do this by contacting Equifax, Experian or TransUnion directly.
To read the city's privacy notice in full on their site, click here.
