Notice of Data Security Incident

Lakeshore Bone and Joint Institute, PC Notice of Data Security Incident

November 16, 2021 Lakeshore Bone and Joint Institute, PC has learned of a data security incident that may have impacted personal and protected health information belonging to certain current and former LBJI employees and patients. This notification provides information about the incident and resources available to assist potentially impacted individuals.

What Happened?  On July 7, 2021, LBJI discovered unusual activity within our Microsoft Office 365 environment. Upon discovery, we took immediate steps to secure the email environment. In addition, we retained outside cybersecurity experts to conduct an investigation to determine the source and scope of the incident. 

The investigation revealed that an unauthorized actor was able to access an LBJI employee’s e-mail account. Based on the findings from the investigation, we reviewed the affected account to determine what data might have been impacted. We determined that the impacted account contained some of your personal information. We then worked diligently to identify addresses for the individuals whose information may have been involved which was completed on October 21, 2021.  Importantly, LBJI is not aware of any misuse of personal information as a result of this incident.

What Information Was Involved? The following personal and protected health information may have been involved in the incident: name, date of birth, Social Security number, treatment information or diagnosis, provider name, patient ID, health insurance information, and treatment cost information.

What Is LBJI Doing? Data privacy and security are among LBJI’s highest priorities. LBJI has taken steps to help prevent a similar incident from occurring in the future. LBJI is also providing notice of this incident to potentially impacted individuals and providing them with information about steps they can take to help protect their information. LBJI has also established a toll-free call center to answer questions about the incident. Call center representatives are available Monday through Friday from 9:00 am – 9:00 pm Eastern Time and can be reached at 855-675-3108.

What You Can Do. LBJI encourages individuals to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud, to review account statements and explanations of benefits forms, and to monitor free credit reports for suspicious activity and to detect errors.

The privacy and security of all personal and protected health information is a top priority for LBJI, and LBJI deeply regrets any inconvenience or concern this incident may cause.

LBJI is also providing the following information to help those who want to know more about steps they can take to protect themselves and their personal information:

What steps can I take to protect my personal information?

  • Please notify your financial institution immediately if you detect any suspicious activity on any of your accounts, including unauthorized transactions or new accounts opened in your name that you do not recognize. You should also promptly report any fraudulent activity or any suspected incidents of identity theft to proper law enforcement authorities.
  • You can request a copy of your credit report, free of charge, directly from each of the three nationwide credit reporting agencies. To do so, free of charge once every 12 months, please visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call toll free at 1-877-322-8228. Contact information for the three nationwide credit reporting agencies is listed at the bottom of this page.
  • You can take steps recommended by the Federal Trade Commission to protect yourself from identify theft. The FTC’s website offers helpful information at www.ftc.gov/idtheft.

How do I obtain a copy of my credit report?

You may obtain a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies once every 12 months by visiting http://www.annualcreditreport.com/, calling toll-free 877-322-8228, or by completing an Annual Credit Report Request Form and mailing it to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348. You also can contact one of the following three agencies:

TransUnion

P.O. Box 1000

Chester, PA 19016

1-800-916-8800

www.transunion.com

Experian

P.O. Box 2002

Allen, TX 75013

1-888-397-3742

www.experian.com

Equifax

P.O. Box 740241

Atlanta, GA 30374

1-888-548-7878

www.equifax.com

How do I put a fraud alert on my account?

You may want to consider placing a fraud alert on your credit report. An initial fraud alert is free and will stay on your credit file for one year. The alert informs creditors of possible fraudulent activity within your report and requests that the creditor contact you prior to establishing any accounts in your name. To place a fraud alert on your credit report, contact any of the three credit reporting agencies identified above. Additional information is available at http://www.annualcreditreport.com.

How do I put a security freeze on my credit reports?

You have the right to place a security freeze on your credit report. A security freeze is intended to prevent credit, loans and services from being approved in your name without your consent. To place a security freeze on your credit report, you need to make a request to each consumer reporting agency. You may make that request by certified mail, overnight mail, or regular stamped mail, or online by following the instructions found at the websites listed below. You will need to provide the following information when requesting a security freeze (note that if you are making a request for your spouse, this information must be provided for him/her as well): (1) full name, with middle initial and any suffixes; (2) Social Security number; (3) date of birth; and (4) address. You may also be asked to provide other personal information such as your email address, a copy of a government-issued identification card, and a copy of a recent utility bill or bank or insurance statement. It is essential that each copy be legible, display your name and current mailing address, and the date of issue. There is no charge to place, lift, or remove a freeze.

Equifax Security Freeze
PO Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348
1-800-685-1111
www.equifax.com

Experian Security Freeze
PO Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013
1-888-397-3742
www.experian.com

TransUnion (FVAD)
PO Box 2000
Chester, PA 19022
1-800-909-8872
www.transunion.com

What should I do if my family member’s information was involved in the incident and is deceased?

You may choose to notify the three major credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, and request they flag the deceased credit file. This will prevent the credit file information from being used to open credit. To make this request, mail a copy of your family member’s death certificate to each company at the addresses below

 

Equifax

Equifax Information Services

P.O. Box 105169,

Atlanta, GA 30348

 

Experian

Experian Information Services

P.O. Box 9701

Allen, TX 75013

 

TransUnion

Trans Union Information Services

P.O. Box 2000

Chester, PA 19022

What should I do if my minor child’s information is involved in the incident?

You can request that each of the three national credit reporting agencies perform a manual search for a minor’s Social Security number to determine if there is an associated credit report. Copies of identifying information for the minor and parent/guardian may be required, including birth or adoption certificate, Social Security card and government issued identification card. If a credit report exists, you should request a copy of the report and immediately report any fraudulent accounts to the credit reporting agency. You can also report any misuse of a minor’s information to the FTC at https://www.identitytheft.gov/. For more information about Child Identity Theft and instructions for requesting a manual Social Security number search, visit the FTC website: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0040-child-identity-theft. Contact information for the three national credit reporting agencies may be found above.