May 28, 2021
What Happened:
On March 9, 2021, the City of Azusa Police Department discovered certain aspects of its computer systems were inaccessible. Upon discovery, Azusa Police immediately contacted its law enforcement partners and began working with third-party specialists to determine the source of the incident and extent of systems affected. As a result of the Department's quick response, all 911, emergency systems, and public safety services remained fully operational. The investigation determined that Azusa Police was the victim of a sophisticated ransomware attack and that certain systems and information were accessed by an unauthorized individual. Azusa Police refused to cooperate with the cybercriminal and did not pay any ransom.
What Information Was Involved:
On April 27, 2021, the investigation determined that certain Azusa Police information was acquired by the unauthorized individual during the incident. Therefore, Azusa Police worked with its incident response partners to determine the type of information potentially impacted. On May 20, 2021, the investigation determined the information may have included the following: Social Security numbers; driver's license numbers; California identification card numbers; passport numbers; military identification numbers; financial account information; medical information; health insurance information; and/or information or data collected through the use or operation of an automated license plate recognition system. Although the Police Department has no evidence of actual or attempted misuse of information, it is providing notice to the public in an abundance of caution.
What is the City of Azusa Doing to Address the Issue?:
Azusa Police continues to review its network security polices and take additional steps to further enhance its security, as it takes the privacy and security of all information very seriously. The Department also established a dedicated assistance line to address questions individuals may have and to provide credit monitoring services to potentially impacted individuals.
What Potentially Impacted Individuals Can Do.:
Azusa Police encourages individuals to remain vigilant in regularly reviewing and monitoring their credit reports/account statements for suspicious activity and to detect errors. Additionally, individuals can review the below steps to protect their information and contact the dedicated assistance line to obtain enrollment information for the credit monitoring services being offered.
For More Information:
Azusa Police has established a dedicated assistance line to address any questions individuals may have and to provide credit monitoring services to potentially impacted individuals. The assistance line can be reached at 855-535-1860, Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific Time. This notice was not delayed by law enforcement.
The following information is provided to help individuals wanting more information about steps that they can take to protect their information:
What steps can I take to protect my private information?
- If you detect suspicious activity on any of your accounts, you should promptly notify the financial institution or company with which the account is maintained. You should also report any fraudulent activity or any suspected incidents of identity theft to law enforcement.
- You may obtain a copy of your credit report at no cost from each of the three nationwide credit reporting agencies. To do so, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call toll free at 1-877-322-8228. Contact information for the three agencies appears at the bottom of this page.
- You can take steps recommended by the Federal Trade Commission to protect yourself from identify theft. The FTC's website offers helpful information at www.ftc.gov/idtheft.
How do I obtain a copy of my credit report?
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.
How do I place a Fraud Alert on my account?
You may contact one of the major credit reporting companies for assistance. An initial one-year 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.
| TransUnion Fraud Alert 1-800-680-7289 P.O. Box 2000 Chester, PA 19016-2000 | Experian Fraud Alert 1-888-397-3742 P.O. Box 9554 Allen, TX 75013 | Equifax Fraud Alert 1-888-298-0045 P.O. Box 105069 Atlanta, GA 30348-5069 |
How do I place a Security Freeze on my account?
You may contact one of the major credit reporting companies for assistance. An initial one-year 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.
To request a credit freeze, you will need to provide the following information:
1.Full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., III, etc.);
2.Social Security number;
3.Date of birth;
4.Address for the prior two to five years;
5.Proof of current address, such as a current utility or telephone bill;
6.A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (e.g., state driver's license or identification card); and
7.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
| TransUnion Credit Freeze 1-800-680-7289 www.transunion.com P.O. Box 160 Woodlyn, PA 19094 | Experian Credit Freeze 1-888-397-3742 www.experian.com P.O. Box 9554 Allen, TX 75013 | Equifax Credit Freeze 1-888-298-0045 www.equifax.com P.O. Box 105788 Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 |
What is the difference between a 'Fraud Alert' and a 'Security Freeze'?
A fraud alert notifies anyone requesting your credit file that you suspect you are a victim of fraud. As such, the lender should take steps to verify that you have authorized the request and deny any request that cannot be verified. A security freeze will prevent lenders and others from accessing your credit report completely.