The Marker Group Provides Notice of Data Privacy Incident

HOUSTON, Dec. 30, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Marker Group today announces a recent data privacy event involving information associated with past and ongoing litigation matters in the United States. Marker Group provides litigation support services to law firms in the United States, including hosting data for law firms to share and access during the course of a lawsuit. To date, Marker Group has not received any reports of actual or attempted misuse of information as a result of this event. Nevertheless, Marker Group is providing notice of this incident to potentially impacted individuals out of an abundance of caution.

On September 3, 2021, Marker Group discovered suspicious activity on certain systems in its computer network. As a result, Marker Group immediately worked to secure its environment and, with the assistance of third-party computer specialists, launched an investigation to determine the nature and scope of the activity. On or about September 10, 2021, the investigation determined that certain files on Marker Group's systems may have been accessed by an unknown, unauthorized third party. Marker Group immediately began a review of the potentially impacted files and its internal systems to identify the information involved and to whom it related. Unfortunately, on December 13, 2021, Marker Group determined that certain files containing individuals' information could have been accessed during the event. While there is no indication that any specific information was or will be misused, Marker Group is notifying all potentially impacted individuals out of an abundance of caution.

What Information was Involved? The investigation determined that the following types of information may have been involved: name, date of birth, Social Security number, and/or various types of medical records containing treatment and insurance information.

What is Marker Group Doing? Marker Group takes the privacy and security of information in its care very seriously. In response to this incident, Marker Group took immediate steps to identify and address the security of its systems and to determine potentially impacted individuals. Marker Group is notifying potentially impacted individuals so that they may take steps to protect their information.

For More Information. If you believe you may have been impacted by this incident or have questions, you may contact Marker Group by phone at 855-604-1716.

What Potentially Affected Individuals Can Do? Marker Group encourages potentially impacted individuals to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing their account statements and monitoring their Explanation of Benefits and free credit reports for suspicious activity and to detect errors.  Please note that Under U.S. law, a consumer is entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. To order your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228.  You may also directly contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below to request a free copy of your credit report.

Consumers have the right to place an initial or extended "fraud alert" on a credit file at no cost.  An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumer's credit file.  Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumer's credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumer's identity before extending new credit.  If you are a victim of identity theft, you are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years.  Should you wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any one of the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below.

As an alternative to a fraud alert, consumers have the right to place a "credit freeze" on a credit report, which will prohibit a credit bureau from releasing information in the credit report without the consumer's express authorization.  The credit freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in your name without your consent.  However, you should be aware that using a credit freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in your credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application you make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit.  Pursuant to federal law, you cannot be charged to place or lift a credit freeze on your credit report.  To request a security freeze, you will need to provide the following information:

1. Full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.);
2. Social Security number;
3. Date of birth;
4. Addresses for the prior two to five years;
5. Proof of current address, such as a current utility bill or telephone bill;
6. A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver's license or ID card, military identification, etc.); 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.

Should you wish to place a fraud alert or credit freeze, please contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below:

You may further educate yourself regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, credit freezes, and the steps you can take to protect your personal information by contacting the consumer reporting bureaus, the Federal Trade Commission, or your state Attorney General. The Federal Trade Commission may be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20580; www.identitytheft.gov; 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-653-4261.  The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them.  You can obtain further information on how to file such a complaint by way of the contact information listed above.  You have the right to file a police report if you ever experience identity theft or fraud.  Please note that in order to file a report with law enforcement for identity theft, you will likely need to provide some proof that you have been a victim.  Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement and your state Attorney General.  This notice has not been delayed by law enforcement.

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SOURCE The Marker Group Inc.