Congratulations to retired Vermont teachers on your years of hard work and dedication to a career that is more often underpaid and underappreciated but hopefully fulfilling. Here is a suggestion though. While enjoying free time and new hobbies in your retirement, you might want to invest in some identity protection services. Because on June 7, 2023, the Vermont Treasurer’s Office announced that a massive cyber-attack occurred on the database that contained the personal identifying information for all retired Vermont teachers. This announcement came five months after the incident occurred. Which means the fraudster is way ahead in claiming the identity of a retired Vermont teacher!
the announcement by Vermont Deputy State Treasurer Gavin Boyles, explains that the people affected were all members of the Vermont State Teachers’ Retirement System with supplemental health benefits under the Vermont Blue Advantage plans. That’s over 7,000 victims who had their names, dates of birth, addresses as well as medical and insurance information stolen. Deputy State Treasurer Boyles emphasized that social security numbers were not taken. But don’t relax too much. A name, address and date of birth provide enough information to create another ‘you’. With that information, an identity thief can go on to open bank accounts, take out credit cards and apply for state benefits. Happy retirement.
No one has come forward to take credit for this cyberattack. NationsBenefits, the managed care program for Vermont, did report the matter to law enforcement and the investigation is ongoing. But if this hack occurred five months ago and has not been solved, that fraudster might be retired as well.
Kudos to the teachers. Thank you for all you have done for the students.
Today’s Fraud Of The Day is based on article “Personal information of 7,000 retired Vermont teachers stolen in cybersecurity attack” published by VT Digger on June 7, 2023
The Vermont Treasurer’s Office said most of the information taken by the still-unknown attackers were names, dates of birth and addresses, as well as medical and insurance information. It underscored that social security numbers were not taken.
The personal information of thousands of retired Vermont teachers was stolen during a cybersecurity attack of a health care data system in January, the state government said on Wednesday.
