05-7-2023 – On July 1, 2022, Booth & Cook discovered suspicious activity related to one employee email account. Upon discovery, Booth & Cook immediately took steps to secure its email system and network, and began an investigation, aided by third-party forensic specialists, to confirm the nature and scope of the incident. The investigation determined that the email account was subject to access by an unauthorized third party.
Following a thorough analysis, it was determined that information contained in the affected email account may have included personally identifiable information (“PII”). The type of information contained within the affected data includes first and last names, in combination with one or more of the following: date of birth, Social Security number, driver’s license number or state identification number, passport number, financial account information, payment card information, health insurance information, medical information, and/or full access credentials to various third-party websites and accounts.
At this time, Booth & Cook is not aware of any evidence to suggest that any information has been fraudulently misused. However, Booth & Cook was unable to rule out the possibility that the information may have been accessed during the period of compromise. Therefore, out of an abundance of caution, Booth & Cook is notifying potentially impacted individuals of this incident.
In response to this incident, Booth & Cook has partnered with third-party forensic specialists to fully investigate the nature and scope of this matter, and to evaluate and reinforce existing security measures within the network to ensure optimal data security. Individuals are encouraged to monitor their credit reports and account statements for suspicious activity and to detect errors.
Booth & Cook has established a toll-free number to answer questions about the incident and to address related concerns. The number to call is (866) 869-0375. The hotline hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding major U.S. holidays.
Booth & Cook takes the privacy and security of the information in its care seriously, and sincerely regrets any worry or inconvenience this incident may have caused.
What steps can I take to protect my private information?
- If you detect suspicious activity on any of your accounts, you should promptly notify the financial institution or company with which the account is maintained. You should also report any fraudulent activity or any suspected incidents of identity theft to law enforcement.
- You may obtain a copy of your credit report at no cost from each of the three nationwide credit reporting agencies. To do so, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call toll free at 1-877-322-8228. Contact information for the three agencies appears at the bottom of this page.
- You can take steps recommended by the Federal Trade Commission to protect yourself from identify theft. The FTC’s website offers helpful information at www.ftc.gov/idtheft.
Was my information specifically impacted?
Booth & Cook has no evidence to suggest that any information was subject to actual misuse. Upon learning of the potential unauthorized access, we performed a thorough review to determine the types of information that may have been present within the affected data. We are providing notification in an abundance of caution.
How do I obtain a copy of my credit report?
You can obtain a copy of your credit report, free of charge, directly from each of the three nationwide credit reporting agencies once every twelve (12) months. To do so, please visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call toll free at 1-877-322-8228. Contact information for the three agencies is included in the notification letter and is also listed at the bottom of this page.
How do I put a fraud alert on my account?
A fraud alert informs creditors of possible fraudulent activity within your report and requests that creditors contact you prior to establishing any accounts in your name. To place a fraud alert on your credit report, contact Equifax, Experian or TransUnion and follow the Fraud Victims instructions. To place a fraud alert on your credit accounts, contact your financial institution or credit provider. Contact information for the three nationwide credit reporting agencies is listed below.
Contact information for the three nationwide credit reporting agencies is as follows:
| TransUnion
1-800-680-7289 www.transunion.com TransUnion Fraud Alert P.O. Box 2000 Chester, PA 19016-2000 TransUnion Credit Freeze P.O. Box 160 Woodlyn, PA 19094 |
Experian
1-888-397-3742 Experian Fraud Alert P.O. Box 9554 Allen, TX 75013 Experian Credit Freeze P.O. Box 9554 Allen, TX 75013 |
Equifax
1-888-298-0045 www.equifax.com Equifax Fraud Alert P.O. Box 105069 Atlanta, GA 30348-5069 Equifax Credit Freeze P.O. Box 105788 Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 |
Additional Information
You can further educate yourself regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, credit freezes, and the steps you can take to protect your personal information by contacting the credit reporting bureaus, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), or your state Attorney General. The FTC also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. The FTC may be reached at 600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20580; www.identitytheft.gov; 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-653-4261.
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, your state Attorney General, and the FTC. This notice has not been delayed by law enforcement.
For Maryland residents, the Maryland Attorney General may be contacted at: 200 St. Paul Place, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202; 1-410-528-8662 or 1-888-743-0023; and www.oag.state.md.us. Booth & Cook, P.A. may be contacted at 3030 Starkey Blvd, Suite 100, Trinity, Florida 34655.
For New York residents, the New York Attorney General may be contacted at: Office of the Attorney General, The Capitol, Albany, NY 12224-0341; 1-800-771-7755; or https://ag.ny.gov/.
For North Carolina residents, the North Carolina Attorney General may be contacted at: 9001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-9001; 1-877-566-7226 or 1-919-716-6000; and www.ncdoj.gov.