Pentegra Data Breach: Personal Data of Clients Exposed

On April 10, 2024, Pentegra Services experienced a data breach involving the accidental disclosure of sensitive personal information. This incident occurred when a Pentegra employee mistakenly sent a file containing personal data to an unauthorized, unintended recipient. The recipient, a human resources representative from another client of Pentegra, promptly notified the company of the error and confirmed the file had been deleted immediately upon recognition of the mistake.

Information Exposed

• Name
• Social Security Number
• Date of birth
• Compensation information

Pentegra Services, Inc's Response

Following the discovery of the data breach, Pentegra Services, Inc. initiated a thorough investigation to understand the scope and impact of the incident. The company has taken steps to enhance security protocols to prevent similar occurrences in the future. Based on their investigation, Pentegra believes that there is no significant risk of identity theft or fraud stemming from this incident, as there is no evidence of misuse or attempted misuse of the information involved. Nonetheless, they are providing affected individuals with complimentary access to Experian IdentityWorks℠ for 24 months to help monitor and protect their identity.

Steps to Take if You Are Affected

If you believe your information was compromised in this breach, it is important to remain vigilant by monitoring your financial accounts and credit reports for any unauthorized activity. Pentegra has offered the following resources to help secure your information:

Enroll in Experian IdentityWorks℠: You can sign up for free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services provided by Experian. This service is available for 24 months and can be activated using the activation code provided in the notice from Pentegra. Enroll by visiting Experian IdentityWorks.

Place a Fraud Alert: Contact one of the major credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit reports. This makes it harder for identity thieves to open accounts in your name. Here are the contact details for the credit bureaus:

• Experian: Experian Fraud Division
• Equifax: Equifax Consumer Fraud Division
• TransUnion: TransUnion Fraud Alert

Consider a Security Freeze: You may want to place a security freeze on your credit reports, which prevents creditors from accessing your credit report entirely, which in turn prevents opening new accounts. This can be done without charge and can be requested through the same contacts as the fraud alerts.

For detailed steps on how to activate these services, refer to the full notice provided by Pentegra, available on the Massachusetts Attorney General's website.

By taking these steps, you can help safeguard your personal information from potential misuse following this data breach incident. Stay proactive and monitor your accounts regularly. If you notice any suspicious activity, report it immediately to the relevant financial institution and consider filing a report with the Federal Trade Commission.