International Justice Mission, Inc. Provides Notice of Data Security Event

ARLINGTON, Va., Nov. 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- International Justice Mission, Inc. ("IJM") is providing notice of a data security event that potentially affected the confidentiality of information related to certain individuals. Although IJM is unaware of any actual misuse of this information, IJM is providing information about the event, response, and steps affected individuals may take to better protect against the possibility of identity theft and fraud, should affected individuals feel it is necessary to do so.

What Happened? On or about March 25, 2021, IJM learned of unusual activity related to several employee email accounts. Upon learning of the suspicious activity, IJM immediately took steps to secure the email accounts and began working with a third-party computer forensic investigation firm to determine the nature and scope of the event. The investigation confirmed that several IJM employee email accounts were accessed by an unknown actor on March 25, 2021.

IJM conducted an extensive investigation to determine the nature and scope of the incident. The investigation confirmed limited data may have been viewed or exfiltrated from the email accounts. In an abundance of caution, IJM undertook a time-consuming process of performing a comprehensive review of the information stored in the email accounts at the time of incident to identify the individuals whose information may have been viewed or taken by the unknown actor. This review concluded on September 28, 2021.  IJM then worked to determine the identities and contact information for potentially impacted individuals and provide notice via written letter.

What Information Was Involved? The following types of information were present in the impacted email accounts and therefore potentially accessed and acquired by the unknown actor during this incident: full name, address, Social Security number, driver's license, medical information, financial account information, and other miscellaneous data elements. IJM is unaware that any of the information was misused or disseminated by the unknown actor and are providing this notice in an abundance of caution.

What We Are Doing. We take this incident and the security of your personal information seriously. Upon learning of this incident, we immediately took steps to secure the affected email account. As part of IJM's ongoing commitment to the security of information in its care, IJM will be reviewing existing policies and procedures and implementing additional safeguards. IJM will also be individually notifying affected individuals as well as state and federal regulators, as required.

What Can You Do. IJM sincerely regrets any inconvenience this incident may have caused.  IJM encourages you to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud, to review your account statements, and to monitor your credit reports for suspicious activity. Under U.S. law you are entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus. To order your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. You may also contact the three major credit bureaus directly to request a free copy of your credit report.

You have the right to place a "security freeze" on your credit report, which will prohibit a consumer reporting agency from releasing information in your credit report without your express authorization. The security freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in your name without your consent. However, you should be aware that using a security freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in your credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application you make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit. Pursuant to federal law, you cannot be charged to place or lift a security freeze on your credit report. Should you wish to place a security freeze, please contact the major consumer reporting agencies listed below:

In order to request a security freeze, you will need to provide the following information:

1. Your full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.);
2. Social Security number;
3. Date of birth;
4. If you have moved in the past five (5) years, provide the addresses where you have lived over the prior five years;
5. Proof of current address, such as a current utility bill or telephone bill;
6. A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver's license or ID card, military identification, etc.);
7. If you are a victim of identity theft, include a copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft.

As an alternative to a security freeze, you have the right to place an initial or extended "fraud alert" on your file at no cost.  An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumer's credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumer's credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumer's identity before extending new credit. If you are a victim of identity theft, you are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years.  Should you wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any one of the agencies listed above.

You can further educate yourself regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, security freezes, and the steps you can take to protect yourself by contacting the consumer reporting agencies, the Federal Trade Commission, or your state Attorney General. 

The Federal Trade Commission can be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20580, www.identitytheft.gov, 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. You can obtain further information on how to file such a complaint by way of the contact information listed above. You have the right to file a police report if you ever experience identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a report with law enforcement for identity theft, you will likely need to provide some proof that you have been a victim. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement and your state Attorney General. This notice has not been delayed by law enforcement.

SOURCE International Justice Mission