Grace & Porta Benefits Provides Notice of a Data Breach

BRIGHTON, Mich., June 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Grace & Porta Benefits ("Grace & Porta") provides notice of an incident that may affect the security of some information relating to certain individuals associated with Grace & Porta.

What Happened?  On or about February 7, 2020, Grace & Porta became aware of suspicious activity related to a Grace & Porta email account.  Upon discovery, Grace & Porta immediately launched an investigation, with the aid of forensic investigators, to determine the nature and scope of the activity.  On February 21, 2020, Grace & Porta's investigation determined that there was unauthorized access to the email account between November 21, 2019 and February 7, 2020.  Grace & Porta undertook a lengthy and labor-intensive process to identify the information within the affected emails and address information associated with affected individuals. 

What Information Was Involved?  The personal information present in the account at the time of the incident varied by individual but may have included first and last names and one or more of the following data elements: name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, phone number, email address, health insurance information, Medicare identification number, medical treatment information, credit card information, driver's license number, medical record number, prescription information, and financial account number.

What is Grace & Porta Doing?  Grace & Porta takes the confidentiality, privacy, and security of information in our care seriously.  Upon discovery, Grace & Porta immediately took steps to ensure the security of our email environment and investigate the activity.  Grace & Porta worked diligently to investigate and respond to this incident and to identify and notify potentially affected individuals.  Grace & Porta is also reviewing and enhancing existing policies and procedures and will be reporting this to relevant state and federal regulators, as required.  Grace & Porta is notifying potentially impacted individuals so that they may take further steps to best protect their information, should they feel it is appropriate to do so.  In an abundance of caution, Grace & Porta is offering credit monitoring and identity protection services at no cost to impacted individuals.

What Can Impacted Individuals Do?  Grace & Porta has established a dedicated assistance line for individuals seeking additional information regarding this incident.  Individuals may call 1-800-939-4170 between 9am and 9pm Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, for additional information.  Individuals may also write to Grace & Porta at 7219 Grand River, Brighton, MI 48114.  Additional information can also be found on Grace & Porta's website, https://www.graceandporta.com.  Potentially affected individuals may also consider the information and resources outlined below.    

Grace & Porta encourages potentially impacted individuals to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud and to review account statements, credit reports, and explanation of benefits forms for suspicious activity.  Under U.S. law, individuals with credit reports 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.  Individuals may also contact the three major credit bureaus directly to request a free copy of their credit report. The credit reporting agencies may be contacted as follows: 

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 Grace & Porta Benefits