Notice for TTEC Data Incident

Sept. 5, 2023

Recently, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) mailed letters to members with self-funded employer group health plans or with past or current health insurance coverage with BCBSTX. These letters were to inform you about a recent incident that involved your protected health information (PHI) as required under the law.

What Happened: On June 15, 2023, we became aware that your PHI may have been inadvertently disclosed to an unauthorized party between September 19, 2022, and May 18, 2023. We have investigated the incident. It was found that during a call handled by a BCBSTX vendor, TTEC, providing customer service, your PHI may have been disclosed to an unauthorized individual. This was a result of TTEC employees delegating their calls to non-TTEC individuals. The investigation did not find any evidence that your information was used in any way other than to perform work for BCBSTX.

What Information Was Involved: The information that may have been disclosed included your name, date of birth, group number, subscriber number, address, phone number, claim number (DCN), medical service information and Social Security Number.

What We Are Doing: BCBSTX confirmed that the vendor, TTEC, terminated the employees involved in the incident. In addition, they have enhanced their hiring protocols, employee monitoring, and security measures, to prevent such disclosures in the future.

To minimize any harm, you are being offered free identity theft protection services through IDX, A ZeroFox Company. IDX identity protection services include: 12 months of credit monitoring and 24 months of CyberScan monitoring, a $1,000,000 insurance policy, and fully managed ID theft recovery services.

With this protection, IDX will help you resolve issues if your identity is compromised. This product is completely free to you and enrolling in this program will not affect your credit score. Please review the enclosed Information about Identity Theft Protection.

How do I enroll in IDX credit monitoring: Scan the QR code at the bottom of this letter, go to https://app.idx.us/account-creation/protect and follow the instructions for enrollment using your Enrollment Code provided at the top of this letter or call IDX directly at 1-800-939-4170. Please note the deadline to enroll is November 24, 2023Due to privacy laws, we cannot register you directly.

What You Can Do: We have no reason to believe that anyone has accessed or misused your data. However, we want to make you aware of steps you may take to guard against identity theft or fraud. If you receive or access explanation of benefits statements (EOBs) from BCBSTX, we recommend that you regularly review these statements. If you see any service that you did not receive, please call us at the number found on the statement or on your member identification (ID) card. If you do not receive or access EOBs, contact your provider or plan. You can request that they send you a statement following the provision of any services under your name and ID number.

There are more actions you can take to reduce the chances of identity theft or fraud on your accounts. Please refer to the final page of this letter

For More Information: If you have any questions about this incident, please call 1-800-939-4170, Monday through Friday, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Central time, excluding U.S. holidays

 

  • Additional Steps You Can Take

    We remind you it is always advisable to be vigilant for incidents of fraud or identity theft by reviewing your account statements and free credit reports for any unauthorized activity. You may obtain a copy of your credit report, free of charge, once every 12 months from each of the three nationwide credit reporting companies. To order your annual free credit report, please visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call toll free at 1-877-322-8228. Contact information for the three nationwide credit reporting companies is as follows:

    If you believe you are the victim of identity theft or have reason to believe your personal information has been misused, you should immediately contact the Federal Trade Commission and/or the Attorney General’s office in your state. You can obtain information from these sources about steps an individual can take to avoid identity theft as well as information about fraud alerts and security freezes. You should also contact your local law enforcement authorities and file a police report. Obtain a copy of the police report in case you are asked to provide copies to creditors to correct your records. Contact information for the Federal Trade Commission is as follows:

    Fraud Alerts and Credit or Security Freezes:

    Fraud Alerts: There are two types of general fraud alerts you can place on your credit report to put your creditors on notice that you may be a victim of fraud—an initial alert and an extended alert. You may ask that an initial fraud alert be placed on your credit report if you suspect you have been, or are about to be, a victim of identity theft. An initial fraud alert stays on your credit report for one year. You may have an extended alert placed on your credit report if you have already been a victim of identity theft with the appropriate documentary proof. An extended fraud alert stays on your credit report for seven years.

    To place a fraud alert on your credit reports, contact one of the nationwide credit bureaus. A fraud alert is free. The credit bureau you contact must tell the other two, and all three will place an alert on their versions of your report.

    For those in the military who want to protect their credit while deployed, an Active Duty Military Fraud Alert lasts for one year and can be renewed for the length of your deployment. The credit bureaus will also take you off their marketing lists for pre-screened credit card offers for two years, unless you ask them not to.

    Credit or Security Freezes: You have the right to put a credit freeze, also known as a security freeze, on your credit file, free of charge, which makes it more difficult for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name. That’s because most creditors need to see your credit report before they approve a new account. If they can’t see your report, they may not extend the credit.

    How do I place a freeze on my credit reports? There is no fee to place or lift a security freeze. Unlike a fraud alert, you must separately place a security freeze on your credit file at each credit reporting company. For information and instructions to place a security freeze, contact each of the credit reporting agencies at the addresses below:

    You'll need to supply your name, address, date of birth, Social Security number and other personal information.

    After receiving your freeze request, each credit bureau will provide you with a unique PIN (personal identification number) or password. Keep the PIN or password in a safe place. You will need it if you choose to lift the freeze.

    How do I lift a freeze? A freeze remains in place until you ask the credit bureau to temporarily lift it or remove it altogether. If the request is made online or by phone, a credit bureau must lift a freeze within one hour. If the request is made by mail, then the bureau must lift the freeze no later than three business days after getting your request.

    If you opt for a temporary lift because you are applying for credit or a job, and you can find out which credit bureau the business will contact for your file, you can save some time by lifting the freeze only at that particular credit bureau. Otherwise, you need to make the request with all three credit bureaus.

  • Additional Actions to Help Reduce Your Chances of Identity Theft

    PLACE A 90-DAY FRAUD ALERT ON YOUR CREDIT FILE

    An initial 90-day security alert indicates to anyone requesting your credit file that you suspect you are a victim of fraud. When you or someone else attempts to open a credit account in your name, increase the credit limit on an existing account, or obtain a new card on an existing account, the lender should take steps to verify that you have authorized the request. If the creditor cannot verify this, the request should not be satisfied. You may contact one of the credit reporting companies below for assistance.

    Equifax

    P.O. Box 105069

    Atlanta, GA 30348

    1-800-525-6285

    www.equifax.com

     

    Experian

    P.O. Box 2002

    Allen, TX 75013

    1-888-397-3742

    www.experian.com

    TransUnion

    P.O. Box 2000

    Chester, PA 19022-2000

    1-800-680-7289

    www.transunion.com

    PLACE A SECURITY FREEZE ON YOUR CREDIT FILE

    If you are very concerned about becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft, a security freeze might be right for you. Placing a freeze on your credit report will prevent lenders and others from accessing your credit report in connection with new credit application, which will prevent them from extending credit. A security freeze generally does not apply to circumstances in which you have an existing account relationship and a copy of your report is requested by your existing creditor or its agents or affiliates for certain types of account review, collection, fraud control or similar activities. With a Security Freeze in place, you will be required to take special steps when you wish to apply for any type of credit. This process is also completed through each of the credit reporting companies.

    Equifax Security Freeze

    P.O. Box 105788

    Atlanta, GA 30348

    1-800-685-1111

    www.freeze.equifax.com

     

    Experian Security Freeze

    P.O. Box 2002

    Allen, TX 75013

    1-888-397-3742

    www.experian.com/freeze/center.html

     

    TransUnion

    P.O. Box 2000

    Chester, PA 19022-2000

    1-888-909-8872

    www.transunion.com/credit-freeze

     

    Order Your Free Annual Credit Reports

    Visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call 1-877-322-8228. Once you receive your credit reports, review them for discrepancies. Identify any accounts you did not open or inquiries from creditors that you did not authorize. Verify all information is correct. If you have questions or notice incorrect information, contact the credit reporting company.

    MANAGE your personal information

    Take steps such as: carrying only essential documents with you; being aware of whom you are sharing your personal information with and shredding receipts, statements, and other sensitive information.

    USE TOOLS FROM CREDIT PROVIDERS

    Carefully review your credit reports and bank, credit card and other account statements. Be proactive and create alerts on credit cards and bank accounts to notify you of activity. If you discover unauthorized or suspicious activity on your credit report or by any other means, file an identity theft report with your local police and contact a credit reporting company.

    Obtain more INFORMATION about identity theft and ways to protect yourself

    For residents of Maryland: You may also obtain information about preventing and avoiding identity theft from the Maryland Office of the Attorney General:

    For residents of Massachusetts: You also have the right to obtain a police report.

    For residents of North Carolina: You may also obtain information about preventing and avoiding identity theft from North Carolina Attorney General’s Office:

    • North Carolina Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Protection Division, 9001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-9001, 1-877-5-NO-SCAM, www.ncdoj.gov

    For residents of Iowa: If you suspect any incidents of identity theft, please report such incidents to local law enforcement or the Iowa Attorney General.

    For residents of New Mexico: You also have rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, such as the right to be told if information in your credit file has been used against you, the right to know what is in your credit file, the right to ask for your credit score, and the right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information. Further, pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the consumer reporting agencies must correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information; consumer reporting agencies may not report outdated negative information; access to your file is limited; you must give your consent for credit reports to be provided to employers; you may limit “prescreened” offers of credit and insurance you get based on information in your credit report; and you may seek damages from violator. You may have additional rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act not summarized here. Identity theft victims and active duty military personnel have specific additional rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

    We encourage you to review your rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act by visiting www.consumerfinance.gov/f/201504_cfpb_summary_your-rights-under-fcra.pdf, or by writing Consumer Response Center, Room 130-A, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580.

    For residents of Rhode Island: You also have the right to obtain any police report filed in regard to this incident under Rhode Island law. The Rhode Island Attorney General can be reached at: 150 South Main Street, Providence, Rhode Island 02903, www.riag.ri.gov, 1-401-274-4400.

    We recommend that you regularly review the explanation of benefits statement that you receive from us. If you see any service that you believe you did not receive, please contact us at the number on the statement. If you do not receive regular explanation of benefits statements, contact your provider or plan and request them to send such statements following the provision of services in your name or number.

    You may want to order copies of your credit reports and check for any medical bills that you do not recognize. If you find anything suspicious, call the credit reporting agency at the phone number on the report. Keep a copy of this notice for your records in case of future problems with your medical records. You may also want to request a copy of your medical records from your provider, to serve as a baseline. If you are a California resident, we suggest that you visit the web site of the California Office of Privacy Protection at https://oag.ca.gov/privacy to find more information about your medical privacy.

Last Updated: Sept. 07, 2023