RALEIGH, N.C. - North Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) says a set of computer disks belonging to the Division of Services for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing (DSDHH) may have been accidentally discarded and taken to a landfill during a recent office renovation.
The agency is alerting it's clients since the disks contained personal information of those who had applied for services from the Equipment Distribution Service within DSDHH from January 2005 through December 2008.
DSDHH says the information contained on the disks is accessible only using special software. However, they're still sending letters to each of the individuals whose personal information may have been compromised. That's a precautionary measure. The letter outlines the incident, offers guidance on how clients can protect themselves from identity theft or scams and suggests clients check their credit reports regularly.
Officials with the agency say they also contacted the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and notified the Consumer Protection Section of the Attorney General’s Office.
There is a link to consumer protection information on the division’s website at www.ncdhhs.gov/dsdhh. Staff, including those in the division’s Regional Centers, are ready and available to answer questions from concerned citizens who may have been affected.
“Our staff is revisiting our policies and procedures to ensure protection of all records,” said Jan Withers, DSDHH director. “Since 2008 all of our documents were encrypted to ensure their security, and all information will be stored in electronic secure files effective Sept. 30, 2011.”
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