Highmark Well being, based mostly in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, just lately confirmed an information breach stemming from an incident involving its pc community. Whereas particulars in regards to the Highmark Well being breach are nonetheless forthcoming, it seems as if the breach uncovered the delicate data of as many as 67,147 people. The information breach legal professionals on the legislation agency of Console & Associates, P.C. are actively investigating the Highmark Well being information breach on behalf of individuals whose data was uncovered. As part of this investigation, we’re offering free consultations to anybody affected by the breach who’s keen on studying extra in regards to the dangers of identification theft, what they will do to guard themselves, and what their authorized choices could also be to acquire compensation from Highmark Well being.
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The Hyperlink Between Information Breaches and Identification Theft
Technological developments over the previous few many years have allowed for extra data to be saved electronically. Whereas this makes it simpler for companies and different organizations to take care of shopper information, it additionally exposes this data to the danger of an information breach. In truth, in line with latest estimates, as many as 15 million folks fall sufferer to identification theft yearly. Many identification theft instances come up because of information breaches, such because the one just lately introduced by Highmark Well being.
Identification theft happens when a prison actor makes use of one other’s data to imagine their identification. There are a number of explanation why somebody could try to steal one other’s identification. Most frequently, criminals have interaction in identification theft for their very own monetary achieve, for instance, by opening up a checking account or bank card in a sufferer’s title. On common, victims of identification theft spend greater than $1,300 and about 200 recovering their identification. Nonetheless, in some instances, the harms are a lot worse. For instance, in instances of prison identification theft, a prison offers a sufferer’s data to the police in the event that they get arrested, presumably resulting in a warrant for the sufferer’s arrest and even a prison file. In different instances, criminals use shoppers’ protected well being data in opposition to them by threatening to launch the knowledge until the sufferer pays a “ransom.”
By investigating the Highmark Well being information breach, Console & Associates, P.C. hopes to assist victims perceive the attainable dangers of identification theft and learn the way they are able to get hold of compensation for every little thing they’ve gone via and will have to undergo sooner or later.
About Highmark Well being
Highmark Well being is the administrator for Highmark Well being Plan, one of many largest Blue Cross Blue Protect insurers in the USA. A number of the plans included within the Highmark Well being system embody:
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Highmark Blue Cross Blue Protect
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Highmark Blue Protect
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Highmark Blue Cross Blue Protect West Virginia
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Highmark Blue Cross Blue Protect Delaware
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Highmark Blue Cross Blue Protect Western New York
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Highmark Blue Protect Northeastern New York
Whereas lots of the firm’s clients are situated in Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia and New York, Highmark Well being serves clients and companies in all 50 states. The corporate has over 35,000 staff and generates roughly $18 billion in annual income.
Information Breaches Are Turning into a Nationwide Disaster
The idea of an information breach shouldn’t be new; nonetheless, given adjustments in how cybercriminals are finishing up their assaults, the dangers to shoppers are better than ever earlier than. For instance, between the years 2020 and 2021, the variety of information breaches elevated by 68%. Nonetheless, the full variety of information breach victims over this identical interval truly decreased by about 5 %. Sadly, this isn’t essentially excellent news. In accordance with the Identification Theft Useful resource Middle, the discount within the variety of victims is a operate of cybercriminals focusing their efforts on acquiring extra on stealing particular varieties of information, equivalent to checking account data, Social Safety numbers, and guarded well being data. Not surprisingly, information breaches involving this data current a a lot better threat to shoppers. Nonetheless, there are greater than 188 million information breach victims per 12 months.
Information breaches happen in a number of methods. For instance, the set up of malware packages, ransomware assaults, and phishing scams are all frequent. In every of those, a hacker targets a corporation, normally with data or suspicion of vulnerabilities within the firm’s information safety system. As soon as the hacker accesses a corporation’s pc community, they will entry and steal any shopper information situated on the affected community.
Organizations equivalent to companies, non-profits, academic establishments and healthcare suppliers all have a vital position in stopping information breaches. When a corporation shops shopper information, it assumes an obligation to guard that data. In actuality, a corporation’s information safety system is the entrance line of protection in opposition to a cyberattack. Thus, it’s crucial that organizations perceive their information safety obligations and that they take them severely. Sadly, many organizations have been gradual to undertake the most recent information safety measures, regardless of raking in tens of millions of {dollars} in revenue every year. Information breach class motion lawsuits maintain organizations accountable for his or her lax information safety measures, permitting shoppers to ship the message that their privateness is necessary.
What to Do After a Information Breach
Any firm or group that experiences an information breach should present discover of the breach to affected people. These information breach notices present essential data and shouldn’t be ignored. In case you obtained an information breach letter from Highmark Well being, it is vital you are taking the next steps to guard your self.
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Fastidiously Assessment the Letter to Affirm What Data Was Compromised: After receiving an information breach notification, the very first thing to do is to fastidiously learn the letter to find out what data was concerned. Whereas this record offers some fundamental recommendation on what to do following an information breach, there are extra steps to take relying on the kind of data that was leaked. Additionally, make a copy of the information breach letter on your data.
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Cease All Future Entry to Your Accounts: Whatever the nature of the information breach or what information of yours was compromised, it is vital that you simply change all passwords and safety questions on your on-line accounts, particularly your on-line banking login data. For these accounts that help you arrange multi-factor authentication, it’s a good suggestion to take action, as this makes it a lot more durable for an unauthorized social gathering to entry your accounts.
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Shield Your Credit score: Greater than 70% of knowledge breaches contain compromised Social Safety numbers or checking account data. That is by design, as cybercriminals can comparatively simply use this data for their very own monetary achieve. Thus, it’s important to take the required steps to forestall unauthorized entry to your credit score. After saying an information breach, organizations normally supply free credit score monitoring for a sure time period. Importantly, you don’t quit any rights by signing up free of charge credit score monitoring, so there isn’t any cause not to take action.
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Assume About Putting a Credit score Freeze: A credit score freeze is an alert in your credit score file positioned by one of many three main credit score bureaus (TransUnion, Equifax and Experian). When the credit score bureau places a credit score freeze in your account, it prevents anybody from accessing your credit score until you give them permission to take action. Credit score freezes stay lively till you take away them; nonetheless, you’ll be able to briefly carry a freeze, for instance, if it’s worthwhile to apply for a mortgage. In accordance with the Identification Theft Useful resource Middle, putting a credit score freeze is the “single only method to stop a brand new credit score/monetary account from being opened.” Nonetheless, ITRC experiences that simply 3% of shoppers whose data is leaked place a freeze on their accounts.
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Carefully Monitor Your Credit score Report and Financial institution Accounts: For information breach victims, the unlucky actuality is that addressing the scenario is an ongoing effort. Defending your self from the continued risk of identification theft is one thing it’s worthwhile to keep on high of. After receiving an information breach notification, often examine your financial institution accounts and bank card accounts for any indicators of unfamiliar transactions. You must also often examine your credit score report. By doing so, it is possible for you to to inform every time an organization runs a credit score examine.
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Contact a Information Breach Lawyer as Quickly as Potential: In case your data was uncovered via an information breach, it is vital you don’t wait to talk with a lawyer. Underneath the USA information breach legal guidelines, the corporate accountable for holding your data protected could also be financially accountable for your damages. These damages are supposed to compensate you for the time and money devoted to recovering your identification. Nonetheless, these instances aren’t simply in regards to the cash. Information breach class motion lawsuits are additionally necessary instruments shoppers can use to persuade giant corporations to take information safety extra severely. Over time, organizations will study that they both have to implement extra complete information safety measures or face the specter of monetary legal responsibility.