BANKRUPTCY UPDATES

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Data Breach Update: August 1, 2008

Nearly 24,000 Student Social Security Numbers Exposed

The Social Security numbers of nearly 24,000 students who registered for fall 2008 classes at the University of Maryland were accidentally printed on mailing labels for a parking brochure, according to a report by Diamondback Online. The Department of Transportation Services at the university notified students via e-mail and apologized for the error. DOTS Director David Allen recommended that students black out or mask the Social Security numbers on the mailing labels or destroy the document after use. Allen also said that DOTS was taking strong precautions to ensure that this type of mistake does not happen again. The parking brochures were mailed out to students on July 1, but the fact that the Social Security numbers were printed on the labels was not discovered until July 8 when students began calling DOTS to complain. The University of Maryland will offer free Equifax reports to the affected students and is not aware of anyone's Social Security number being misused as a result of this data breach.

Anheuser-Busch Employees' Personal Info on Stolen Laptop

A laptop computer that was stolen from a Missouri's St. Louis-area Anheuser-Busch office in June contained the personal information of current and former employees, including their Social Security numbers, addresses and marital statuses. The computer also contained information on the employees' use of the company's employee assistance program that offers counseling and referrals for work-related health issues such as substance abuse and emotional distress. The company mailed letters to an undisclosed number of employees and ex-employees to notify them of the theft and potential data breach and offered them a year of free credit report monitoring services. Such services could also cause the employees to be more mindful of potential bankruptcy. The information stored on the computer was encrypted and the computer was password protected, and there has been no indication that the employees' data has been misused, according to a report by the Daily Press.

Yuma City Workers' Social Security Numbers Exposed

Approximately 300 city employees in Yuma, Arizona could be at risk for identity theft after their Social Security numbers were unintentionally included in an e-mail sent to city administrative personnel, according to the Yuma Sun. A letter sent to the affected employees said that every effort was made to correct the error and steps were taken to delete, retract and protect the sensitive data. The mis-sent e-mail was quickly removed from employee computers by the city's technology department. In some cases, the recipients did not have the opportunity to receive or open the e-mail because it was removed so quickly. Letters were sent to the affected employees to notify them of the data breach and to advise them to place a fraud alert of their credit reports as a precaution.

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