Identity fraud alert!

NEA-Alaska members may be at risk

 

If you were a member of the TRS or PERS retirement system in 2003 and 2004, your personally identifiable information may be compromised.  The missing information includes name, Social Security number, and date of birth. 

Accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP lost the data in early December.  Under terms of a settlement with the state, the firm has agreed to provide credit protections for the more than 77,000 current and former public employees whose personal information it lost.  Watch your mailbox over the coming weeks for a notice that describes the protections and how you can sign up for them.  The notice will also explain how you can make a claim for damages if you become an identity theft victim.

In the meantime, you can take other steps to protect yourself against identity theft :

1. You can place a fraud alert on your credit report, even if you have credit monitoring in place. You can contact the three main credit reporting agencies below to place a fraud alert:

2. A fraud alert will not prevent access to your credit report, but it will alert the reporting agency, and businesses checking on your credit, that your information has been compromised. If you have already placed a security freeze on your credit report, a fraud alert is not necessary.

3. Get a copy of your credit report and review it for suspicious activity. Under federal law, you are entitled to a free copy of your credit report from each of the three credit bureaus every year. To get your free copy, contact each of the credit agencies listed above, or go to www.annualcreditreport.com. Look for any accounts you do not recognize, and cancel them immediately.

4. Account monitoring. Check your monthly account statements carefully for suspicious charges, and notify your financial institution of all charges you do not recognize. Close any accounts that you think have been compromised.

5. Consumer Education. There are several consumer resources available that provide valuable information on identity theft, and how to avoid becoming a victim. The Federal Trade Commission maintains a website that contains a wealth of information on identity theft at www.ftc.gov/idtheft.

For additional information, visit http://doa.alaska.gov/drb/pdf/price-waterhouse-security-breach-factsheet.pdf.