Taylor, Ganson & Perrin LLP Provides Notice of Data Privacy Event

BOSTON, Feb. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Taylor, Ganson & Perrin LLP ("TGP") is providing notice of a recent event that may affect the privacy of certain personal information.  TGP provides legal services to individuals, families, trusts and businesses primarily throughout Massachusetts.  Information about TGP can be found at http://www.taylorganson.com/.  TGP is providing information about this event, TGP's response to it, and resources available to individuals to help protect their information, should they feel it necessary to do so.

What Happened? On January 23, 2022, TGP discovered unusual activity on certain computer systems.  TGP quickly disconnected these systems from the network and commenced an intensive investigation to determine the source and scope of the incident.  Although the investigation is not complete at this time, on or about January 27, 2022, the investigation determined that certain information stored within the TGP environment had been accessed and/or acquired by an unauthorized actor in connection with this incident.  However, TGP continues to investigate the scope of the unauthorized access to determine what specific information may have been accessed and/or acquired and to whom that information relates.   TGP is providing this notice in an abundance of caution to inform you of the incident so that you may take steps to protect your information. 

What Information Was Involved? The information that may have been subject to access and/or exfiltration varies by individual based upon the information provided to TGP.  The type of information could include name, Social Security number, driver's license number or state identification card number, passport number, military identification number, financial account information, credit card number, medical information, health insurance information, username and password for online accounts, digital signature and/or taxpayer identification number.

How Will Individuals Know If They Are Affected By This Incident? If you would like to know if you are potentially affected by this incident, please call TGP's dedicated assistance line, detailed below.

What We Are Doing. TGP takes this incident very seriously.  Information privacy and security are among TGP's highest priorities, and TGP has strict security measures in place to protect information in its care.  Upon discovering this incident, TGP quickly took steps to investigate and respond, including reporting this incident to federal law enforcement and notifying potentially affected individuals and relevant regulators.  Moreover, as an added precaution, TGP is offering complimentary access to credit monitoring and identity restoration services to potentially impacted individuals through IDX.

What You Can Do. TGP encourages you to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing your account statements and monitoring your free credit reports for suspicious activity.  As an added precaution, TGP is offering potentially impacted individuals access to 24 months of free credit monitoring and identity restoration services through IDX.  To enroll in the complimentary credit monitoring services, please call our dedicated assistance line at 1-833-783-1439.

Under U.S. law individuals are entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus.  To order a free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. Individuals may also contact the three major credit bureaus directly to request a free copy of their credit report, place a fraud alert, or a security freeze.  Contact information for the credit bureaus is below.

Consumers have the right to place an initial or extended "fraud alert" on a credit 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 three major credit reporting bureaus listed below.

As an alternative to a fraud alert, consumers have the right to place a "credit freeze" on a credit report, which will prohibit a credit bureau from releasing information in the credit report without the consumer's express authorization.  The credit 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 credit 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 credit freeze on your credit report.  To request a security freeze, you will need to provide the following information:

1. Full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.);
2. Social Security number;
3. Date of birth;
4. Addresses for the prior two to 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.); and
7. A copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft if you are a victim of identity theft.

Should you wish to place a fraud alert or credit freeze, please contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below:

Equifax, P.O. Box 105069, Atlanta, GA, 30348, 1-800-685-1111, www.equifax.com; Experian, P.O. Box 2002, Allen, TX 75013, 888-397-3742, www.experian.com; TransUnion, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016, 800-680-7289, www.transunion.com. Potentially impacted individuals may also find information regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, security freezes and the steps they may take to protect their information by contacting the credit bureaus, the Federal Trade Commission or their 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); and TTY: 1-866-653-4261.  Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement or the individual's state Attorney General. 

TGP wants to assure those who may be impacted that TGP takes the responsibility to safeguard personal information very seriously.  TGP deeply regrets any inconvenience or concern this incident may cause you.  If you have additional questions, please call our dedicated assistance line at 1-833-783-1439 (toll free), Monday through Friday, from 9 am - 9 pm Eastern Time (excluding U.S. holidays). 

SOURCE Taylor, Ganson & Perrin, LLP