Government Updates

WPAS: Welfare & Pension Administration Service, Inc. Provides Notice of Data Event

SEATTLE — Welfare & Pension Administration Service, Inc. (“WPAS”) is providing notice of a data event. Welfare & Pension Administration Service, Inc. (“WPAS”) is a third-party administration firm that specializes in multi-employer benefit plan administration. This notice provides you with information about the incident, WPAS’s response, and steps you may take to protect your personal information, should you feel it necessary.

What Information Was Involved? While the specific impacted information varies by individual; the investigation determined that the information which may have been impacted includes individual name, date of birth, Social Security number, driver’s license number, passport number, employer identification number, financial account information and payment card information, electronic or digital signature, medical claims information, medical treatment or diagnosis information, prescription information, health insurance identification number, and health insurance group number. Importantly, there is no indication specific information was accessed or misused. However, together with and on behalf of its client funds, WPAS is providing notice of this incident.

What We Are Doing. Information security is one of WPAS’s highest priorities, and it has security measures in place to protect information in its care. Upon discovering this incident, WPAS promptly took steps to mitigate potential harm from the event, including resetting passwords across the network, bringing in third-party forensic specialists to assist with the investigation and remediation, and notifying federal law enforcement of this event. WPAS is continuing to review and enhance existing policies and procedures and is implementing additional safeguards to further secure the information in its systems and reduce the likelihood of a similar future event. WPAS is also assisting its client funds with notifying relevant regulatory authorities.

As an added precaution, WPAS is offering access to credit monitoring and identity protection services through Kroll, at no cost to individuals. You will find information on how to activate these services in the below “Steps Individuals Can Take To Help Protect Information.”

What You Can Do. WPAS is not aware of any fraudulent misuse of information. As a general precaution, WPAS encourages individuals to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing account statements and monitoring free credit reports for suspicious activity and to detect errors. Individuals can also review the information contained in the attached “Steps Individuals Can Take To Help Protect Information.”

For More Information. If you have additional questions or concerns, please call the dedicated assistance line at (855) 568-2075, which is available Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time. You may also write to WPAS at PO Box 34203, Seattle, WA 98124-1203.

STEPS INDIVIDUALS CAN TAKE TO HELP PROTECT INFORMATION

Credit Monitoring

Visit wpas.kroll.com to activate and take advantage of your identity monitoring services.
You have until May 19, 2022 to activate your identity monitoring services.
For more information about Kroll and your Identity Monitoring services, you can visit info.krollmonitoring.com.

Monitor Accounts

Under U.S. law, a consumer is entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. To order your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. You may also directly contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below to request a free copy of your credit report.
Consumers have the right to place an initial or extended “fraud alert” on a credit file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumer’s credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumer’s credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumer’s identity before extending new credit. If you are a victim of identity theft, you are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years. Should you wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any one of the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below.
Full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.); Social Security number; Date of birth; Addresses for the prior two to five years; Proof of current address, such as a current utility bill or telephone bill; A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver’s license or ID card, etc.); and A copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft if you are a victim of identity theft.

Image Courtesy WPAS

This article was shared with Prittle Prattle News as a Press Release by PRNewswire

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