Breach
I got a letter the other day from my county board of elections. It basically said “All of your personal data, including your social security number, was stolen from our office last week. You might want to keep an eye on your credit report in case someone hijacks your identity.” No apologies. No assurances that that heads will roll when they determine what dumbass allowed this to happen. No explanation about how it happened. Not even an attempt to provide contact info for a credit monitoring service so we could check on that pesky little identity theft thing.
I’m not obsessive about it but I do try and keep some pieces of information private. I work hard not to use my social security number for identification purposes for anything outside of a government agency that insists on it. I did a little googling and found that the board of elections was broken into over the Christmas holiday. The high tech vandals used a rock to break in – no security system to foil their entry. And how did they make off with the personal data of over 300,000 people? They picked up 2 unsecured, unencrypted laptops computers off a desk and walked out with them. Why in the world would the county store that information on portable devices AND not encrypt the information? If that happened in a health care facility with the HIPAA laws, that facility would be in serious trouble. But because it is our government, they will look into better security measures in the future. (Gee, thanks.)
My knee jerk reaction to this news was to call and tell them I wanted to un-register to vote and I wanted all of my personal info purged from their system. But that seems rather like closing the barn door after the horse has run out – and why should I not be able to exercise my constitutional right to vote because the government is irresponsible with our personal information? I want to rage to someone about the irresponsibility. I want to vow to make sure someone is not re-elected or someone is fired. But I’m left feeling rather insignificant and ineffective in my anger. So you guys have to hear about it.
Oh Michelle, I’m sorry to hear this!! Certainly they have screwed up big time!! Rant-a-way! I might just call my local government and find out how my info is kept on file?!!
Send them an anonymous memo!
Or, contact your local congressional office, your govenor, etc . . . and let them know you don’t vote for people who let this happen on their watch
Check out Identity Guard to keep your info safe. it lets you know when anything pops up on your credit reports – new cards, etc. I think you can also call the three credit agencies and let them know that your info was stolen so they up THEIR security on your account and I think check info with you. Just some ideas!
And I would totally fire off some memos!!!
wow that totally sucks.
In Kentucky, the board of elections is run by the county clerk who is elected every 4 years. There is also representatives from each party (Dem and Rep) on the board. Those would be the people I would start with. You may also want to look into the Zander Insurance company. They provide identity theft insurance – not real expensive – and if something happens – they do all the legwork/paperwork to clean it up.
I’m sorry this happened!!
That sucks.
I never have really worried about this, even though I’ve had my credit card info used twice online in the past four years. Think of the state this country would be in if only people spent that much time being honest rather than dishonest!
That sucks, I would be pissed too. I think it definetly warrants a “Letter to the Editor” or something. After the whole Guatemala adoption thing, I am having a harder and harder time liking some branches of our government.
“why should I not be able to exercise my constitutional right to vote because the government is irresponsible with our personal information? ”
Did the letter say you couldn’t vote? I’m confused?
(Doesn’t take much…)
🙂
That truly blows. I’m sorry this happened…
Ok, have to add that every time I see the title, I read “Breech” and flip out and worry, and then wonder why your OB is concerned about it this early.
I mention this only to point out that it has happened twice now. Because clearly I’m down to one brain cell. It’s kind of like when I send myself an email, and then see that I have new mail, and get all excited and wonder who it’s from. Yes, I really am that lame!
Okay, I know this is totally not the point…but chances are whoever stole the computers isn’t smart enought to figure out that there is valuable info on them. I had my laptop stolen from a client’s office one time and the police said that as soon as they steal them they wipe everything out and try to sell it. Because what good is a laptop to a thief, really? They just want the cash.
Oh, and this is the point…I got a letter saying that my personal info was on a laptop that was stolen once, too. The place that it was stolen from paid for one year of free service to Triple Alert to monitor everyone’s credit. And it was a LOT of people that they paid for. Of course it wasn’t a goverment agency.