Safety, Health, and Wellness

  • Anthem Security Breach - Update

    Dear Fellow Employee:

    Anthem has provided an important update on the status of its response to the cyber-attack and security breach that it announced last week – as well as details on how to enroll in identity theft protection services that it has guaranteed to its members, including current and former state employees and retirees that may be affected.

    The services that Anthem is providing to members are strictly voluntary and available for two years. As of 2 p.m. today, members may begin enrollment if they wish. Enrollment instructions are outlined in this message below.

    Additional information for members can be obtained at Anthem’s online resource page at www.anthemfacts.com. For further questions or information, plan participants may call Anthem’s dedicated toll-free hotline at 877-263-7995, as well as the dedicated Anthem Connecticut member line at 1-800-922-2232.

    Here is the latest report from Anthem, which will also be mailed directly to affected members’ homes:

    On January 29, 2015, Anthem, Inc. (Anthem) discovered that cyber attackers executed a sophisticated attack to gain unauthorized access to Anthem’s IT system and obtained personal information relating to members who were or are currently covered by Anthem or other independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans that work with Anthem. Anthem believes that this suspicious activity may have occurred over the course of several weeks beginning in early December 2014.  

    As soon as we discovered the attack, we immediately began working to close the security vulnerability and contacted the FBI.  We have been fully cooperating with the FBI’s investigation. Anthem has also retained Mandiant, one of the world’s leading cybersecurity firms, to assist us in our investigation and to strengthen the security of our systems. 

    Members Affected

    Current or former members of one of Anthem’s affiliated health plans may be affected.  In addition, some members of other independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans who received healthcare services in any of the areas that Anthem serves over the last 10 years may be compromised.  Anthem is providing identity protection services to all individuals that are affected.   For a listing of potentially compromised Anthem affiliated health plans and other Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies for which Anthem is providing this service, visit anthemfacts.com to view a list.  Anthem is a service provider to other group health plans and Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans across the country.   

    Information Accessed

    The information accessed may have included names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, health care ID numbers, home addresses, email addresses, employment information, including income data.  We have no reason to believe credit card or banking information was compromised, nor is there evidence at this time that medical information such as claims, test results, or diagnostic codes, was targeted or obtained.   

    Identity Protection Services

    Anthem has arranged to have AllClear ID protect your identity for two (2) years at no cost to you. The following identity protection services start on the date of this notice and you can use them at any time during the next two (2) years. 

    • AllClear SECURE: The team at AllClear ID is ready and standing by if you need identity repair assistance. This service is automatically available to you with no enrollment required.  If a problem arises, simply call 1-877-263-7995 and a dedicated investigator will do the work to recover financial losses, restore your credit and make sure your identity is returned to its proper condition.  AllClear ID maintains an A+ rating at the Better Business Bureau.
    • AllClear PRO: This service offers additional layers of protection including credit monitoring and a $1 million identity theft insurance policy. For a child under 18 years old, AllClear ID ChildScan identifies acts of fraud against children by searching thousands of databases for use of your child’s information. To use the PRO service, you will need to provide your personal information to AllClear ID. To learn more about these services, or to enroll, visit our source of truth http://www.anthemfacts.com/ and click on the AllClear ID link from there.  Please note: Additional steps may be required by you in order to activate your phone alerts. 

    Mailed Notification

    Anthem will also individually notify potentially affected current and former members by U.S. Postal mail with this same specific information on how to enroll in free credit monitoring and identity protection services.  These services will be provided to potentially affected current and former members free of charge.  Anthem has also established a dedicated website (www.anthemfacts.com) where members can access additional information, including frequently asked questions and answers.   

    Toll-Free Hotline

    Anthem has established a dedicated toll-free number that you can call if they have questions related to this incident. That number is 877-263-7995.  We have included contact information for the three nationwide credit bureaus below.  

    Fraud Prevention Tips

    We want to make you aware of steps you may take to guard against identity theft or fraud.    

    We recommend that potentially affected members remain vigilant for incidents of fraud and identity theft, including by reviewing account statements and monitoring free credit reports.  In addition, you can report suspected incidents of identity theft to local law enforcement, Federal Trade Commission, or your state attorney general.  To learn more, you can go to the FTC’s Web site, at www.consumer.gov/idtheft, or call the FTC, at (877) IDTHEFT (438-4338) or write to Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Response Center, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580.  

    You should be aware of scam email campaigns targeting current and former Anthem members.  These scams, designed to capture personal information (known as “phishing”), are designed to appear as if they are from Anthem and the emails include a “click here” link for credit monitoring. These emails are NOT from Anthem.   

    • DO NOT reply to the email or reach out to the senders in any way.
    • DO NOT supply any information on the website that may open, if you have clicked on a link in email.
    • DO NOT open any attachments that arrive with email.

    Anthem is not calling members regarding the cyber-attack and is not asking for credit card information or Social Security numbers over the phone.   For more guidance on recognizing scam email, please visit the FTC Website: http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0003-phishing

    Members who have provided e-mails to Anthem and have opted in to receiving communications may receive an e-mail directing them to visit AnthemFacts.com to sign up for credit protection services. This e-mail is scheduled to be distributed the week of Feb. 16. A copy of the email will be posted on AnthemFacts.com

    This email is being sent due to state notification requirements. It will not ask for personal information and will not contain a link to any websites other than AnthemFacts.com.

    If you receive any emails regarding the Anthem Cyber Attack asking for personal information, or asking you to click on an unfamiliar link:

    ü  DO NOT click on any links in email.

    ü  DO NOT reply to the email or reach out to the senders in any way.

    ü  DO NOT supply any information on the website that may open, if you have clicked on a link in an email.

    ü  DO NOT open any attachments that arrive with email.

     Credit Bureau Information 

    Equifax

    PO BOX 740241

    ATLANTA GA 30374-0241

    1-800-685-1111

    equifax.com

    Experian,

    PO BOX 9532

    ALLEN TX 75013

    1-888-397-3742

    experian.com

    TransUnion

    PO BOX 6790

    FULLERTON CA 92834-6790

    1-800-916-8800

    transunion.com

    You can obtain additional information from the FTC and the nationwide credit bureaus about fraud alerts and security freezes.  You can add a fraud alert to your credit report file to help protect your credit information.  A fraud alert can make it more difficult for someone to get credit in your name because it tells creditors to follow certain procedures to protect you, but it also may delay your ability to obtain credit.  You may place a fraud alert in your file by calling just one of the three nationwide credit bureaus listed above.  As soon as that bureau processes your fraud alert, it will notify the other two bureaus, which then must also place fraud alerts in your file.  In addition, you can visit the credit bureau links below to determine if and how you may place a security freeze on your credit report to prohibit a credit bureau from releasing information from your credit report without your prior written authorization:

     For additional information, members are directed to the following resources:

    For more information, contact: Susan Matthews at susan.matthews@uconn.edu