A major data breach has exposed the sensitive information of over 550,000 individuals, including full names, Social Security numbers, and financial data. The breach occurred between December 12-17 last year, and initially affected only 32,234 individuals. However, as the investigation progressed, the number of impacted individuals increased significantly.
The breached company is Kelly Benefits, a benefits administration and payroll provider that provides services to numerous well-known companies, including Wawa, United Healthcare, Aetna Life Insurance Company, and Humana Insurance ACE. The breach compromised sensitive data, including full names, Social Security numbers, tax ID numbers, dates of birth, medical and health insurance information, and financial account details.
As a result, the hackers responsible for this breach may launch phishing attacks or commit identity theft against affected individuals. To minimize damage, Kelly Benefits is offering free access to identity theft protection services from IDX for affected individuals for a full year.
To stay safe after the data breach, it’s essential to monitor your financial accounts and credit reports regularly. If you’re a customer of a company that uses Kelly Benefits’ services, check your mailbox for personalized data breach notification letters. These letters will provide information on the specific data types compromised and offer an enrollment code to access identity theft protection services.
Acting quickly is crucial in minimizing the impact of a data breach like this one. By taking proactive steps, such as monitoring accounts, freezing credit reports, and enrolling in identity theft protection services, you can reduce the risk of further harm and regain control over your personal information.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/computing/online-security/over-half-a-million-people-impacted-by-major-data-breach-full-names-ssns-financial-data-and-more-exposed