topic Re: Notification of Data Breach in Community Chat

Notification of Data Breach

Linmo — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 00:56:53 GMT

I received a letter in the mail today regarding a data breach in the Town of Salem, NH last October. Evidently, their system was hacked and personal information (including mine) was obtained. I've lived in CA for over 30 years and have never even been to NH before, let alone the Town of Salem.

I called the CS # given in the letter and they were not able to tell me why my information would be in the town's database. I have verified that the letter is not a scam. I guess I will call the Salem Town Hall directly tomorrow to see if I can find out anything else, but this is going to bug me until then.

I did check my credit report online and everything's fine. I had my identify stolen many years ago and had always kept a fraud alert on my credit file until it expired earlier this year. I'm thinking I should probably put it back on just to be safe.

Re: Notification of Data Breach

decaf — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 01:08:44 GMT

That's sounds like a real mystery, I know it would bug me too. I hope you're successful at getting to the bottom of it, please let us know.

Re: Notification of Data Breach

gertrudecloset — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 01:11:21 GMT

Just because you have never been to the town where the data breach happened doesn't mean anything. Do you shop online other than the Q? Could be that someone stole your info and used it in this town. This can occur where companies keep their payment processing centers or something.

Just put the fraud alert back on. You'll never know how this all unfolded unless you can remember.

Re: Notification of Data Breach

Linmo — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 01:29:39 GMT

@gertrudecloset This is actually the town's database, not the database of a company in the town. That's what is confusing. I do have a common first and last name, so I am wondering if they have me mixed up with someone else.

It's also possible that the thieves who stole my identity many years back had some association with that town. My information was fraudently used in MA and the thieves were never caught to my knowledge. Who knows? I'm going to see what the Town Hall officials say tomorrow and I'll probably put the alert back on after that.

Re: Notification of Data Breach

gertrudecloset — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 01:43:37 GMT

@Linmo wrote:
@gertrudecloset This is actually the town's database, not the database of a company in the town. That's what is confusing. I do have a common first and last name, so I am wondering if they have me mixed up with someone else.
It's also possible that the thieves who stole my identity many years back had some association with that town. My information was fraudently used in MA and the thieves were never caught to my knowledge. Who knows? I'm going to see what the Town Hall officials say tomorrow and I'll probably put the alert back on after that.

@Linmo You are probably right about the first time your info was stollen. I think that has something to do with it. So, it's a municipality....ok. Hope you get it all sorted out.