HARRISBURG, Pa. – Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane is again encouraging consumers to be proactive in protecting their financial security in the wake of news that another major company, this time health care insurer Anthem Inc., formerly Wellpoint Inc., suffered a breach potentially affecting up to 100 million consumers nationwide.
“Theft of personal and financial information has become an all-too-often occurrence,” Attorney General Kane said. “I urge all consumers to take proactive measures to safely store and share personal data.”
At the direction of Attorney General Kane, the Bureau of Consumer Protection will be working with other state attorneys general to review the matter and will keep consumers informed as needed regarding the breach.
Pennsylvania residents affected are those served by Anthem, DeCare or Securian dental plans, or UniCare or HealthLink medical plans. It is unclear at this time how many Pennsylvania consumers may have been affected.
Anthem was the target of an external cyberattack that obtained personal consumer information such as names, birthdates, medical identification and Social Security numbers, street addresses, email addresses and employment information including income data. There is no evidence that the stolen data included credit card, medical or clinical information.
Anthem will individually notify current and former subscribers whose information has been accessed, and will offer free identity protection and credit monitoring services.
Consumers who wish to take advantage of these services can learn more at www.AnthemFacts.com or by calling Anthem’s dedicated toll-free number at (877) 263-7995.
Attorney General Kane encouraged Pennsylvania consumers to be proactive in monitoring their credit reports and financial account statements, especially if consumers believe their personal information may have been compromised.
Attorney General Kane offers the following tips for consumers:
NOTE: www.AnnualCreditReport.com and the national credit reporting bureaus will not send consumers an email or call asking for personal information. Do not reply to unsolicited messages or click through any links, and hang up on calls asking for such information.
NOTE: Consumers can place a fraud alert on their credit reports to help mitigate potential issues by contacting the three credit reporting agencies:
- Equifax: (800) 525-6285
- Experian: (888) 397-3742
- TransUnion: (800)-680-7289
Concerned consumers should contact the Attorney General’s Health Care Section Helpline at (877) 888-4877 or (717) 705-6938 for further assistance.
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