Protect Your Identity and Personal Information
FTC Identity Theft Presentation
FTC Identity Theft Video (Español)
Phishing Video 1
Phishing Video 2
Phishing Video 3
Dear Employees and Parents, (Español)
As an EPISD employee, I know that the recent security breach has caused you great concern. I want to assure you, once again, that we are taking this very seriously.
In our continued efforts to provide support to you regarding the detection of possible misuse of your personal information, we have been in contact with a credit monitoring service, Experian, to expand the options available to you. We have researched other organizations that have had similar security breaches and found that the options located on this website best meet our needs. This offer is available to all current EPISD employees and students, and is being provided at a substantially discounted rate (50% off of the regular cost).
The services provided by Experian include monitoring of credit, a customer care center, and fraud resolution assistance for an individual or for a family. You can access this information on the right column of this page. In addition to the credit monitoring service offer, this web page provides FAQs, fact sheets about identity theft, links to credit experts and contact information for the three major credit reporting agencies. Should you decide to enroll in one of the two services, you must do so by December 31, 2011. Membership is good for up to one year, with an option to extend one additional year if desired.
Additionally, a free 90-day fraud alert with the three major credit-reporting agencies is also available for your consideration. To utilize this option click on the link for any one of the three agencies on the right.
I hope you find this information helpful. We will continue to update our website as we obtain more information.
Sincerely,
Terri K. Jordan, Ed.D.
Interim Superintendent
Protect your Identity Programs
News Conference Sept. 1, 2011
Comments from Interim Superintendent Dr. Terri Jordan
Comments from Stephen Stiles, Chief Technology Officer
Frequently Asked Questions: (Español)
Q: What happened?
A: EPISD was notified on August 29 that a security breach occurred on our Intranet system and hackers illegally accessed sensitive information about our students and employees
Q: How did this happen?
A: The security protections EPISD has in place to protect sensitive information was penetrated by a hacker group that was sophisticated enough to defeat our protection.
Q: Whose information was compromised?
A: All current EPISD employees and students, and some parents.
Q: Does this affect former students and/or former employees?
A. No. Information is routinely updated and the data of former employees and students was not accessible.
Q: Does this mean someone stole my personal information?
A: While we do not know if your information used, it is possible that the hacker(s) still have access to your information. We do not know if the perpetrator(s) were seeking information for identity theft purposes or for some other reason.
Q: What personal information was involved?
A: This includes student names, birth dates, gender, social security numbers, phone numbers and addresses; employee names, social security numbers, e-mail addresses, phone numbers and addresses. This also affected a small percentage of parents who took advantage of on-line registration and provided their directory information; however, parents’ social security numbers were not accessed.
Q: Was payroll, financial, benefit information accessed?
A: There is no indication that this information was compromised.
Q: What is EPISD doing to prevent this from happening in the future?
A: EPISD are enhancing security measures and better shielding sensitive information.
Q: Is this information still at risk of disclosure to an unauthorized person?
A: Yes. However, EPISD has taken rapid steps to upgrade our network's security and more upgrades are in the works.
Q: Will EPISD contact me for private information because of this event?
A: EPISD will not contact you to ask for personal information such as your Social Security number, credit card, or banking information. If someone does contact you claiming to represent EPISD, you should not give out personal information.
Q: How will I know if any of my personal information was used by someone else?
A: If you suspect that you are a victim of identity theft, one means of protecting yourself is to place a fraud alert on your credit report or freeze your existing accounts, which will alert you if someone is trying to use your personal information illegally. Contact one of the three credit report agencies below:
Equifax - (800) 525-6285 P.O. Box 740241 Atlanta, GA 30374
http://www.equifax.com
Experian - (888) 397-3742 P. O. Box 9532 Allen, TX 75013
http://www.experian.com
Trans Union - (800) 680-7289 P. O. Box 6790 Fullerton, CA 92834
http://www.transunion.com
After you place a fraud alert or freeze, ask the credit agency to send you a credit report. When it arrives, review it carefully. If you find anything that looks wrong or suspicious or that you don't understand, call the credit agency at the telephone number listed on your credit report and review the report with a member of the staff. If information in the credit report cannot be explained, you may wish to file a report of suspected identity theft with El Paso Police.
Q: Do I have to pay for the credit report?
A: No. When you place an initial fraud alert on your credit report, you are entitled to one free credit report from each of the three nationwide consumer-reporting companies. Or you may order a free credit report at http://www.AnnualCreditReport.com.
Q: What is a fraud alert?
A: Most credit card companies and other creditors won't issue credit without first checking the applicant's credit history. A fraud alert tells credit issuers that there is possible fraud associated with the account and gives them a number to call before issuing new credit in your name. This prevents others from fraudulently receiving credit in your name. When you call the credit bureau fraud line, you will be asked for identifying information and will have an opportunity to enter a number for creditors to call. Credit bureaus will send you a confirmation letter, which should include instructions on how to order a free credit report. You should then request a credit report.
Q: How long does a fraud alert last?
A: An initial fraud alert lasts 90 days and it is free; you may renew it for an additional 90 days.
Q: Will a fraud alert stop me from using my credit cards?
A: No. A fraud alert will not stop you from using your existing credit cards or other accounts.
Q: Can I still apply for credit after I place a fraud alert on my credit report?
A: Yes, but a fraud alert may slow the process of receiving new credit since the purpose of a fraud alert is to help protect you against an identity thief opening credit accounts in your name. Potential creditors receive a special message alerting them to the possibility of fraud, and they know they should re-verify the identity of a person applying for credit.
Q: What is a credit or security freeze?
A: A notice placed by you that prohibits the credit reporting agency from releasing any credit information to a third party without your written authorization. A freeze is a permanent action, but can be lifted temporarily as needed, using a password. Lenders would not have access to your credit report to approve new credit. Your information can still be released to your existing creditors. To place, you must request in writing to each of the three credit agencies. There is a $10 fee to place, remove, or temporarily lift. No fee is charged if you provide proof that you are a victim of identity theft or are more than 65 years old.
Q: How else can I request my free annual credit file disclosure?
A: Go to the Identity Theft Resource Center at http://www.idtheftcenter.org/ and the Annual Credit Report site at http://www.AnnualCreditReport.com. While credit bureaus offer fee-based monitoring services, it is up to individual parties to determine whether they wish to pay for such services.
Q: Should I order all my credit file disclosures at one time or space them out over 12 months?
A: It is entirely your choice whether you order all three credit reports at the same time or order one now and others later. The advantage of ordering all three at the same time is that you can compare them. On the other hand, the advantage of ordering one now and others later is that you can keep track of any changes or new information that may appear on your credit report (for example, one credit report every four months). Remember, you are entitled to receive one free credit report through http://www.AnnualCreditReport.com every 12 months from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies such as Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. If you order from only one company today you can still order from the other two companies at a later date.
Q: I called the credit bureau fraud line and they asked for my Social Security number. Is it okay to give it?
A: The credit bureaus ask for your Social Security number and other information to identify you and avoid sending your credit report to the wrong person. However, EPISD advises caution if you are contacted by someone who claims to represent EPISD and asks for personal information. EPISD will not contact you but instead will wait for you to contact us if you have any additional questions. In the case of a fraud alert, potential creditors will contact you to confirm your identity before issuing new credit in your name.
Q: Do I have to call all three credit bureaus?
A: No, you only need to contact one and request that credit bureau pass your request for fraud alert to the other bureaus.
Q: Why can't I talk to someone at the credit bureaus?
A: Each of the three bureaus uses an automated telephone system. If you are having difficulty reaching one, try another.
Q: How long does it take to receive my credit report?
A: Your report will be mailed to you within 15 days. Please allow 2–3 weeks for delivery.
Q: What is credit monitoring and do I have to pay for the service?
A: Credit monitoring services protect you primarily against new account fraud. This form of fraud occurs when a criminal uses your personal information to open credit card, mobile phone, or other financial accounts using your name, Social Security number, and other personal information. Credit monitoring does not actually stop the opening of new accounts, but it usually enables you to learn about the fraudulent accounts sooner than it takes for debt collection companies to track you down. You must pay for the use of a credit monitoring service.
Q: Why doesn't EPISD buy a credit monitoring subscription for me?
A: EPISD does not pay for credit monitoring services.
Q: Should I contact the Social Security Administration and change my Social Security number?
A: The Social Security Administration very rarely changes a person's Social Security number. The possibility of fraudulent use of your number probably would not be viewed as justification. Also, there are drawbacks to changing your Social Security number. For example, you would lose your credit history, which could make it difficult to get new credit, go to college, rent an apartment, open a bank account, or get health insurance.
Q. What should I do if I discover fraudulent use of my personal information?
A: You should immediately report the crime to your local law enforcement agency, contact any creditors involved, and notify the credit bureaus. Detailed information is available on the Federal Trade Commission's Identity Theft website at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/.
Q: What if I have more questions?
A: Please send your questions to info@episd.org.
The El Paso ISD does not discriminate in its educational programs or employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, military status, or on any other basis prohibited by law. Inquiries concerning the application of Titles VI, VII, IX and Section 504 may be referred to the district compliance officer, Vincent Sheffield, at 881-2619; Section 504 inquiries regarding students may be referred to Cecilia Whiteman at 881-2527.
