Blue Shield of California members with vision coverage may have had highly sensitive personal information stolen in a hack, the insurer said.
Blue Shield in letters to affected policy holders offered a year of free identity monitoring, and provided advice. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission also provides guidance for people worried they may have been victims of identity theft through stolen personal information.
The credit monitoring from Sunnyvale-based Kroll includes alerts when a person’s credit data changes, for example when a new line of credit is opened in their name; or when someone’s data shows up for illegal sale; or when names, aliases or addresses become associated with a person’s Social Security number; or when a cash-advance or short-term loan is taken out using a person’s information. The service also includes up to $1 million for eligible out-of-pocket expenses related to an identity-fraud event, plus consultation with a fraud specialist, and if necessary, an investigator.
Here’s what Blue Shield advises for affected members:
1. Regularly and closely review credit reports and financial account statements for suspicious activity, and notify financial institutions and relevant companies if such activity is found. Identity fraud should be reported to law enforcement, and to the Federal Trade Commission and/or the state Attorney General’s office.
2. Consider placing a fraud alert on your credit report by contacting one of the three large credit-score firms Equifax, TransUnion or Experian. The contacted company will share the alert with the other two, according to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.
3. Consider a “security freeze” on your credit report to prevent new credit from being issued in your name without a PIN assigned when the freeze is initiated. Such freezes typically require contacting all three major credit-reporting firms: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
Here’s what the Federal Trade Commission says may indicate your identity has been stolen:
- You see bank account withdrawals you don’t recognize.
- Expected bills don’t come, or you stop getting mail.
- Merchants won’t take your checks.
- You get debt-collection calls for debts you didn’t take on.
- Your credit report shows unfamiliar accounts or charges.
- You get medical bills for services you didn’t obtain.
- Your health insurer rejects a legitimate medical claim because its records show you’ve reached your benefits limit.
- A health insurer refuses to cover you because your records show a condition you don’t have.
- The Internal Revenue Service notifies you that more than one tax return was filed in your name, or that you have income from an employer that’s not yours.
- A company where you do business or have an account notifies you that your information was compromised in a data breach.