On November 30, 2021, Philadelphia FIGHT was the victim of a criminal cyberattack that may impact the confidentiality and privacy of patient information. As soon as we discovered this attack, we disconnected our network from the Internet, stopping the criminal attack, launched an investigation into the nature and scope of the event with the assistance of third-party forensic computer forensics specialists, and reported the crime to law enforcement. We also confirmed, based on available evidence, that this attack did not impact our electronic medical records or other clinical systems.
On January 13, 2022, we learned through our continuing investigation that certain non-clinical systems within our network were accessed by the criminal actor, and later determined that those systems contained legally protected patient information. We cannot confirm that any sensitive information was accessed or taken by the criminal actor, and we are unaware to date of any publication or fraudulent misuse of information related to this event; however, we are providing notice of this event because legally protected information was located on the impacted non-clinical systems. This information includes names, dates of birth, social security numbers, medical diagnosis, treatment information, and health insurance information, and we are working to identify and send individual letters to any individual whose legally protected information may have been impacted.
We have mailed letters to impacted individuals. If you received a letter and you have questions, please call Philadelphia FIGHT 215-985-4448.
We deeply regret any inconvenience or concern this event may cause our patients. We are and have always been committed to patient privacy and confidentiality. We are developing and implementing a review and enhancement of our security protocols to help prevent something like this from happening again.
We encourage everyone to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing your account statements and monitoring your free credit reports for suspicious activity and error detection. You can also review the following information for additional steps you can take to protect information.
Monitor Your Accounts
Under U.S. law, a consumer is entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. To order your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. You may also directly contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below to request a free copy of your credit report.
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 one-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:
- Full name (including middle initial, as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.);
- Social Security number;
- Date of birth;
- Addresses for the prior two to five years;
- Proof of current address, such as a current utility bill or telephone bill;
- A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver’s license or ID card, etc.); and
- 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 credit freeze, please contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below:
| Equifax | Experian | TransUnion |
|---|---|---|
| https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/ | https://www.experian.com/help/ | https://www.transunion.com/credit-help |
| 1-888-298-0045 | 1-888-397-3742 | 1-833-395-6938 |
| Equifax Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 105069 Atlanta, GA 30348-5069 | Experian Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013 | TransUnion Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016 |
| Equifax Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 105788 Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 | Experian Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013 | TransUnion Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 160, Woodlyn, PA 19094 |
Additional Information
You may further educate yourself regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, credit freezes, and the steps you can take to protect your personal information by contacting the consumer reporting bureaus, the Federal Trade Commission, or your state Attorney General.The Federal Trade Commission may 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. 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.