On January 29, 2015, Anthem, Inc. (Anthem) discovered that cyber
attackers executed a sophisticated attack to gain unauthorized
access to Anthem’s IT system and obtained personal information
relating to consumers who were or are currently covered by Anthem
or other independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans that work
with Anthem. As soon as we discovered the attack, we immediately
began working to close the security vulnerability and contacted the
FBI. We have been fully cooperating with the FBI’s investigation.
Anthem has also retained Mandiant, one of the world’s leading
cybersecurity firms, to assist us in our investigation and to
strengthen the security of our systems.
Current or former members of one of Anthem’s affiliated health
plans may be impacted. In addition, some members of other
independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans who received
healthcare services in any of the areas that Anthem serves over the
last 10 years may be impacted. Anthem is also a service provider to
other group health plans and Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans
across the country.
The information potentially compromised may have included names,
dates of birth, Social Security numbers, health care ID numbers,
home addresses, email addresses and employment information,
including income data. We have no reason to believe credit card or
banking information was compromised, nor is there evidence at this
time that medical information such as claims, test results, or
diagnostic codes were targeted or compromised.
Anthem will individually notify all potentially impacted current
and former members for whom we have a valid mailing address by U.S.
Postal mail, with specific information on how to enroll in free
credit monitoring and identity protection services. These services
will be provided to potentially impacted current and former members
free of charge for two years. Anthem has also established a
dedicated website - AnthemFacts.com - where members can enroll in
the identity protections services now, and can also access
additional information including frequently asked questions and
answers.
For a listing of potentially impacted Anthem affiliated health
plans and other Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies for which
Anthem is providing this service, visit AnthemFacts.com to view a
list.
To Members:
On January 29, 2015, Anthem, Inc. (Anthem) discovered that cyber
attackers executed a sophisticated attack to gain unauthorized
access to Anthem’s IT system and obtained personal information
relating to consumers who were or are currently covered by Anthem
or other independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans that work
with Anthem. Anthem believes that this suspicious activity may have
occurred over the course of several weeks beginning in early
December, 2014.
As soon as we discovered the attack, we immediately began
working to close the security vulnerability and contacted the FBI.
We have been fully cooperating with the FBI’s investigation. Anthem
has also retained Mandiant, one of the world’s leading
cybersecurity firms, to assist us in our investigation and to
strengthen the security of our systems.
Consumers Impacted
Current or former members of one of Anthem’s affiliated health
plans may be impacted. In addition, some members of other
independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans who received
healthcare services in any of the areas that Anthem serves over the
last 10 years may be impacted. Anthem is providing identity
protection services to all individuals that are impacted. For a
listing of potentially impacted Anthem affiliated health plans and
other Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies for which Anthem is
providing this service, visit AnthemFacts.com to view a list.
Anthem is a service provider to other group health plans and Blue
Cross and Blue Shield plans across the country.
Information Accessed
The information accessed may have included names, dates of
birth, Social Security numbers, health care ID numbers, home
addresses, email addresses, employment information, including
income data. We have no reason to believe credit card or banking
information was compromised, nor is there evidence at this time
that medical information such as claims, test results, or
diagnostic codes, was targeted or obtained.
Identity Protection Services
Anthem has arranged to have AllClear ID protect your identity
for two (2) years at no cost to you. The following identity
protection services start on the date of this notice, or the date
you previously enrolled in services based on information posted on
AnthemFacts.com. You can use them at any time during the next two
(2) years after your service begins.
- AllClear SECURE: The team at AllClear
ID is ready and standing by if you need identity repair assistance.
This service is automatically available to you with no enrollment
required. If a problem arises, simply call 1-877-263-7995 and a
dedicated investigator will do the work to recover financial
losses, restore your credit and make sure your identity is returned
to its proper condition. AllClear ID maintains an A+ rating at the
Better Business Bureau.
- AllClear PRO: This service offers
additional layers of protection including credit monitoring and a
$1 million identity theft insurance policy. For a child under 18
years old, AllClear ID ChildScan identifies acts of fraud against
children by searching thousands of databases for use of your
child’s information. To use the PRO service, you will need to
provide your personal information to AllClear ID. To learn more
about these services, or to enroll, visit, our source of truth
http://www.AnthemFacts.com and click on the AllClear ID link from
there. Please note: Additional steps may be required by you in
order to activate your phone alerts.
Mailed Notification
Anthem will also individually notify potentially impacted
current and former members by U.S. Postal mail with this same
specific information on how to enroll in free credit monitoring and
identity protection services. These services will be provided to
potentially impacted current and former members free of charge.
Anthem has also established a dedicated website (AnthemFacts.com)
where members can access additional information, including
frequently asked questions and answers.
Toll-Free Hotline
Anthem has established a dedicated toll-free number that you can
call if they have questions related to this incident. That number
is 877-263-7995. We have included contact information for the three
nationwide credit bureaus below.
Fraud Prevention Tips
We want to make you aware of steps you may take to guard against
identity theft or fraud.
We recommend that potentially impacted members remain vigilant
for incidents of fraud and identity theft, including by reviewing
account statements and monitoring free credit reports. In addition,
you can report suspected incidents of identity theft to local law
enforcement, Federal Trade Commission, or your state attorney
general. To learn more, you can go to the FTC’s Web site, at
www.consumer.gov/idtheft, or call the FTC, at (877) IDTHEFT
(438-4338) or write to Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Response
Center, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580.
You should be aware of scam email campaigns targeting current
and former Anthem members. These scams, designed to capture
personal information (known as “phishing”), are designed to appear
as if they are from Anthem and the emails include a “click here”
link for credit monitoring. These emails are NOT from Anthem.
- DO NOT reply to the email or reach out
to the senders in any way.
- DO NOT supply any information on the
website that may open, if you have clicked on a link in email.
- DO NOT open any attachments that arrive
with email.
Anthem is not calling members regarding the cyber attack and is
not asking for credit card information or Social Security numbers
over the phone. For more guidance on recognizing scam email, please
visit the FTC Website:
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0003-phishing.
Credit Bureau Information
EquifaxPO BOX 740241ATLANTA GA
30374-02411-800-685-1111
equifax.com
Experian,PO BOX 9532ALLEN TX
750131-888-397-3742experian.com
TransUnion
PO BOX 2000
CHESTER, PA 19022
1-800-916-8800
transunion.com
You can obtain additional information from the FTC and the
nationwide credit bureaus about fraud alerts and security freezes.
You can add a fraud alert to your credit report file to help
protect your credit information. A fraud alert can make it more
difficult for someone to get credit in your name because it tells
creditors to follow certain procedures to protect you, but it also
may delay your ability to obtain credit. You may place a fraud
alert in your file by calling just one of the three nationwide
credit bureaus listed above. As soon as that bureau processes your
fraud alert, it will notify the other two bureaus, which then must
also place fraud alerts in your file. In addition, you can visit
the credit bureau links below to determine if and how you may place
a security freeze on your credit report to prohibit a credit bureau
from releasing information from your credit report without your
prior written authorization:
- Equifax security freeze:
https://www.freeze.equifax.com/Freeze/jsp/SFF_PersonalIDInfo.jsp
- Experian security freeze:
http://www.experian.com/consumer/security_freeze.html
- TransUnion security freeze:
http://www.transunion.com/personal-credit/credit-disputes/credit-freezes.page
For Maryland and North Carolina Residents - You can obtain
information from these sources about preventing identify theft:
- Visit the Federal Trade Commission
website at:www.ftc.gov, or call 1-877-ID-THEFTor write to this
address:
Federal Trade Commission600
Pennsylvania Avenue NWWashington, DC 20580
- Maryland: Visit the Maryland Office of
the Attorney General at:oag.state.md.us/idtheft/index.htm, or call
1-410-528-8662or write to this address:
Consumer Protection DivisionMaryland
Office of the Attorney General200 St. Paul PlaceBaltimore, MD
21202
- North Carolina: Visit the North
Carolina Office of the Attorney General
at:http://www.ncdoj.gov/Crime.aspx or call 1-919-716-6400or write
to this address:
Attorney General’s Office9001 Mail
Service CenterRaleigh, NC 27699-9001
Anthem, Inc.Media Contact:Cindy
Wakefieldcindy.wakefield@anthem.com404-788-8957