If you are receive a notice from the Hawai'i State Attorney General's Office and you purchased life and group health insurance policies as members of either the HGEA or UPW in 1999, you are among approximately 60,000 people whose personal information may have been stolen recently.
"..DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
News Release
LINDA LINGLE
GOVERNOR
__________________________________________________ _______________
Mark J. Bennett, Attorney General
Phone: (808) 586-1500
Fax: (808) 586-1239
__________________________________________________ _______________
For Immediate Release: April 13, 2006 News Release No. 2006-09
HEIGHTENED RISK OF IDENTITY THEFT
HONOLULU – The Attorney General of Hawai‘i is strongly encouraging over 40,000 individuals who are at risk for identity theft, including 22,000 private sector employees and 21,500 members of the Hawaii Government Employees Association ("HGEA") and the United Public Workers union ("UPW"), to take protective measures. At a minimum, individuals are advised to obtain free credit reports and to monitor their Social Security Statements and personal accounts for unusual activity.
The measure follows the recent notification to the Attorney General by federal law enforcement officials (the United States Secret Service) of the theft of insurance company records that list the names and social security numbers of persons who enrolled in certain health and group life insurance plans in 1999. The records were produced by the Voluntary Employees Benefit Association of Hawaii in a civil lawsuit that the State brought against HGEA, UPW, and others, and they were copied at the request of the Attorney General for litigation purposes by a professional copying service
in Honolulu.
Federal officials informed the Department of the Attorney General in January 2006 that unauthorized copies of some of the records were made by a person or persons unknown, apparently while the records were at the professional copying service. They were later found by the Honolulu Police Department on a computer used by an individual being investigated for drug offenses. The incident has not been disclosed before now because that could have impaired the federal investigation. The federal authorities (the United States Secret Service and the United States Postal Inspection Service) made a request that the theft not be publicly disclosed until now. The investigation by federal authorities continues.
“Identity theft is a serious crime and a growing national problem. Records containing social security numbers and other personal information can be used by thieves to obtain credit cards, to open fraudulent bank accounts, to mortgage real property, and to purchase automobiles. If debts incurred in those transactions are not paid, the credit of those whose identity has been stolen could be impaired. In some cases, it might take years for individuals to clear their records and restore their credit. We are taking this
issue very seriously and strongly advise those affected, at a minimum, to obtain and review their credit reports, which are free under federal law,” said Mark Bennett, Attorney General. “We very much regret the very serious impact this theft will have on so many persons.”
Private sector employees whose names have been found among the stolen records are being contacted directly in writing by the Attorney General. In addition, members of UPW and HGEA who were enrolled in the following union health and group life insurance plans in the months indicated may be at risk for identity theft and are being contacted directly in writing by the Attorney General: [Both groups are being given specific instructions as to what they can do if they believe they are the victims of identity theft.]
For UPW members:
TYPE OF COVERAGE INSURER MONTH ENROLLED
Dental HDS September 1999
Dental HDS October 1999
Dental HDS November 1999
Medical/Drug HMSA July 1999
Medical/Drug HMSA September 1999
Medical/Drug HMSA October 1999
Medical/Drug HMSA November 1999
Medical/Drug Kaiser B September 1999
Note: The names and social security numbers of the spouse
and dependent children of UPW members who were
enrolled in the above plans were included in the records that
were copied, and those individuals are also at risk of identity
theft.
For HGEA members:
TYPE OF COVERAGE INSURER MONTH ENROLLED
HMSA Premier (Medical/Drug) HMSA July 1999
HMSA Premier (Dental) HDS July 1999
HMSA Premier (Vision) VSP July 1999
HMSA Royal (Medical/Drug) HMSA July 1999
HMSA Royal (Dental) HDS July 1999
HMSA Royal (Chiropractic) CPH July 1999
HMSA Royal (Medical) RSN July 1999
"..DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
News Release
LINDA LINGLE
GOVERNOR
__________________________________________________ _______________
Mark J. Bennett, Attorney General
Phone: (808) 586-1500
Fax: (808) 586-1239
__________________________________________________ _______________
For Immediate Release: April 13, 2006 News Release No. 2006-09
HEIGHTENED RISK OF IDENTITY THEFT
HONOLULU – The Attorney General of Hawai‘i is strongly encouraging over 40,000 individuals who are at risk for identity theft, including 22,000 private sector employees and 21,500 members of the Hawaii Government Employees Association ("HGEA") and the United Public Workers union ("UPW"), to take protective measures. At a minimum, individuals are advised to obtain free credit reports and to monitor their Social Security Statements and personal accounts for unusual activity.
The measure follows the recent notification to the Attorney General by federal law enforcement officials (the United States Secret Service) of the theft of insurance company records that list the names and social security numbers of persons who enrolled in certain health and group life insurance plans in 1999. The records were produced by the Voluntary Employees Benefit Association of Hawaii in a civil lawsuit that the State brought against HGEA, UPW, and others, and they were copied at the request of the Attorney General for litigation purposes by a professional copying service
in Honolulu.
Federal officials informed the Department of the Attorney General in January 2006 that unauthorized copies of some of the records were made by a person or persons unknown, apparently while the records were at the professional copying service. They were later found by the Honolulu Police Department on a computer used by an individual being investigated for drug offenses. The incident has not been disclosed before now because that could have impaired the federal investigation. The federal authorities (the United States Secret Service and the United States Postal Inspection Service) made a request that the theft not be publicly disclosed until now. The investigation by federal authorities continues.
“Identity theft is a serious crime and a growing national problem. Records containing social security numbers and other personal information can be used by thieves to obtain credit cards, to open fraudulent bank accounts, to mortgage real property, and to purchase automobiles. If debts incurred in those transactions are not paid, the credit of those whose identity has been stolen could be impaired. In some cases, it might take years for individuals to clear their records and restore their credit. We are taking this
issue very seriously and strongly advise those affected, at a minimum, to obtain and review their credit reports, which are free under federal law,” said Mark Bennett, Attorney General. “We very much regret the very serious impact this theft will have on so many persons.”
Private sector employees whose names have been found among the stolen records are being contacted directly in writing by the Attorney General. In addition, members of UPW and HGEA who were enrolled in the following union health and group life insurance plans in the months indicated may be at risk for identity theft and are being contacted directly in writing by the Attorney General: [Both groups are being given specific instructions as to what they can do if they believe they are the victims of identity theft.]
For UPW members:
TYPE OF COVERAGE INSURER MONTH ENROLLED
Dental HDS September 1999
Dental HDS October 1999
Dental HDS November 1999
Medical/Drug HMSA July 1999
Medical/Drug HMSA September 1999
Medical/Drug HMSA October 1999
Medical/Drug HMSA November 1999
Medical/Drug Kaiser B September 1999
Note: The names and social security numbers of the spouse
and dependent children of UPW members who were
enrolled in the above plans were included in the records that
were copied, and those individuals are also at risk of identity
theft.
For HGEA members:
TYPE OF COVERAGE INSURER MONTH ENROLLED
HMSA Premier (Medical/Drug) HMSA July 1999
HMSA Premier (Dental) HDS July 1999
HMSA Premier (Vision) VSP July 1999
HMSA Royal (Medical/Drug) HMSA July 1999
HMSA Royal (Dental) HDS July 1999
HMSA Royal (Chiropractic) CPH July 1999
HMSA Royal (Medical) RSN July 1999
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