Last updated on February 20, 2025
Humboldt Independent Practice Association (“Humboldt IPA”) prioritizes the privacy and security of your information. Humboldt IPA is writing to inform you of a recent data security incident that resulted in the unauthorized acquisition of your protected health information (PHI). Humboldt IPA is a third-party that administers health plans and healthcare services on behalf of providers. As such, Humboldt IPA received your PHI from one or more of those providers. This notice is intended to provide you details about the incident, our response, and additional steps you may take protect your information. We were unable to locate all the addresses of the individuals whose information was involved. As a result, we are issuing this public notice to inform all potentially impacted individuals.
What Happened: What Happened: On June 28, 2024, Humboldt IPA became aware of a phishing campaign, designed to appear as a legitimate communication from one of our partners. Upon discovery, we took immediate action to investigate the incident, which involved retaining outside cyber counsel, as well as independent forensics specialists (at the direction of counsel). After a thorough investigation, we learned that an unauthorized actor gained access to a single email account between June 26, 2024 and July 1, 2024. After a detailed review of the data involved, it was determined that the unauthorized actor acquired contents of the email account, and that the account included certain protected health data.
What Information Was Involved: The PHI involved includes first and last name, in combination with one or more of the following: contact information (such as mailing address, emergency contact information, email, telephone number); date of birth, driver’s license, medical diagnosis or condition; and health insurance information.
What We Are Doing: We reported the incident to the FBI and the Department of Health and Human Services with the Office of Civil Rights. For individuals whose had their Social Security number impacted, we are providing those individuals with access to Single Bureau Credit Monitoring services at no cost. These services provide persons with alerts for 12 months from the date of enrollment when changes occur to your credit file. In addition, dedicated team and call center will be to provide support services and address inquiries concerning the incident, credit monitoring, identity protection services, and proactive fraud assistance to help with any questions that you might have. These services will be provided by HayStack, specializing in fraud assistance and remediation services.
If you believe you may have been affected by this incident and have not received a notification from us, please do not hesitate to contact our dedicated assistance line through Haystack at 888-802-9735 between the hours of 9:00 am and 9:00 pm EST to confirm eligibility and receive a credit monitoring code. If you have any questions regarding the incident, please do not hesitate to contact us.
What You Can Do: To date, we are not aware of any reports of identity fraud or fraudulent activity involving your information as a result of this incident. However, it is always prudent for persons to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing your credit reports and account statements for suspicious activity and to detect errors. If you discover any suspicious or unusual activity on your accounts, please promptly contact the financial institution or company. We have provided additional information below, which contains more information about steps you can take to help protect yourself against fraud and identity theft.
For More Information: Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact our dedicated assistance line with HayStack’s call center at 888-802-9735, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM eastern time, excluding major U.S. holidays. We stay committed to earning your trust in us and continue to be thankful for your support during this time.
Sincerely,
Humboldt Independent Practice Association
Enclosure: Steps You Can Take to Help Protect Your Information
STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO HELP PROTECT YOUR INFORMATION
Monitor Your Accounts and Credit Reports
We encourage you to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing your credit reports/account statements and explanation of benefits forms for suspicious activity and to detect errors. Under U.S. law, you are entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus, TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax. To order your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call 1-877-322-8228. Once you receive your credit report, review it for discrepancies and identify any accounts you did not open or inquiries from creditors that you did not authorize. If you have questions or notice incorrect information, contact the credit reporting bureau.
You have the right to place an initial or extended “fraud alert” on a credit file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a one-year alert that is placed on a consumer’s credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert, 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 lasting seven years. Should you wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any of the three credit reporting bureaus listed below.
As an alternative to a fraud alert, you have the right to place a “credit freeze” on a credit report, which will prohibit a credit bureau from releasing information in the credit report without your express authorization. The credit freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in your name without your consent. However, you should be aware that using a credit freeze may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application you make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit. Pursuant to federal law, you cannot be charged to place or lift a credit freeze on your credit report. To request a credit freeze, you should provide the following information:
- Full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., III, etc.);
- Social Security number;
- Date of birth;
- Address for the prior two to five years;
- Proof of current address, such as a current utility or telephone bill;
- A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (e.g., state driver’s license or identification card); 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.
Should you wish to place a fraud alert or credit freeze, please contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below:
| TransUnion
1-833-806-1627 TransUnion Fraud Alert TransUnion Credit Freeze |
Experian
1-888-397-3742 Experian Fraud Alert Experian Credit Freeze |
Equifax
1-888-378-4329 Equifax Fraud Alert Equifax Credit Freeze |
Additional Information
You can further educate yourself regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, credit freezes, and the steps you can take to protect your personal information by contacting the credit reporting bureaus, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), or your state Attorney General. The FTC also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. The FTC may be reached at 600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20580; www.identitytheft.gov; 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-653-4261.
You have the right to file a police report if you ever experience identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a report with law enforcement for identity theft, you will likely need to provide some proof that you have been a victim. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement, your state Attorney General, and the FTC. This notice has not been delayed by law enforcement.
For D.C. residents, the District of Columbia Attorney General may be contacted at 441 4th Street NW #1100, Washington, D.C. 20001; 202-727-3400, and https://oag.dc.gov/consumer-protection.
For Kentucky residents, the Kentucky Attorney General may be contacted at 700 Capitol Avenue, Suite 118, Frankfurt, Kentucky 40601; 502-696-5300; and www.ag.ky.gov.
For Maryland residents, the Maryland Attorney General may be contacted at Office of the Attorney General, 200 St. Paul Place, Baltimore, MD 21202; 1-888-743-0023; or www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov.
For New Mexico residents, you 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: (i) the consumer reporting agencies must correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information; (ii) the consumer reporting agencies may not report outdated negative information; (iii) access to your file is limited; (iv) you must give consent for credit reports to be provided to employers; (v) you may limit “prescreened” offers of credit and insurance you get based on information in your credit report; (vi) and you may seek damages from violators. 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 https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201504_cfpb_summary_your-rights-under-fcra.pdf, or by writing Consumer Response Center, Room 130-A, FTC, 600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580.
For New York residents, the New York Attorney General may be contacted at Office of the Attorney General, The Capitol, Albany, NY 12224-0341; 1-800-771-7755; or https://ag.ny.gov.
For North Carolina residents, the North Carolina Attorney General may be contacted at 9001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-9001; 1-877-566-7226 or 1-919-716-6000; and www.ncdoj.gov.
For Oregon residents, the Oregon Attorney General may be contacted at Oregon Department of Justice, 1162 Court St. NE, Salem, OR 97301-4096; 1-877-877-9392; and https://doj.state.or.us/consumer-protection/.
For Rhode Island residents, the Rhode Island Attorney General may be contacted at 150 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903; 1-401-274-4400; and www.riag.ri.gov. Under Rhode Island law, you have the right to obtain any police report filed in regard to this incident. No Rhode Island residents was involved in this incident.
There has been no delay due to law enforcement.
