Dear Fellow DPS Employees:
It has recently come to our attention that there was a security breach involving your personal personnel data at the Department of Public Safety. The Department has conducted an investigation into two separate mailings of Meet and Confer related campaign materials by FOP Lodge 32. The materials were mailed directly to all employees’ home addresses – which the Department considers confidential.
It is unknown whether the information stolen was in paper or digital format, and whether it included other sensitive information such as Social Security numbers, spouse names, call signs, etc. We are currently urging the Director to get to the bottom of this and prosecute whoever is responsible.
We feel it is our responsibility and obligation to inform our fellow employees of this possible threat to your security and advise you of the following steps to safeguard your information in the future:
- Carefully review your bank and credit card statements monthly.
- Ask your credit card company to stop sending blank checks with your statements.
- Keep credit card account information and PIN numbers in a safe place and cancel credit cards that you don”t use.
- Never give bank or credit card account information over the phone unless you initiated the call and know the business.
- Order a free copy of your credit report annually and check it carefully from www.annualcreditreport.com.
- When ordering by phone or on-line, use a credit card rather that a debit card because there are greater protections with a credit card.
- Always take your credit card receipts.
- Always use a secure mailbox when mailing checks.
- Shred everything with personal identifying information before discarding.
- Delete all personal information from your computer before disposing of it.
- Remove your name from mailing lists generated by telemarketers. Contact the Direct Marketing Association at www.dmaconsumers.org.
- Never carry your Social Security card with you.
- Do not give your personal information in response to emails pretending to be from bank,
credit card company or internet service provider. These emails are from con artists. Legitimate financial institutions will never ask for this information in email.
– Source: Arizona Attorney General’s Office
We hope that you will join the AHPA in condemning the illegal and underhanded tactics employed by the FOP.
Sincerely,
Andy Swann
President
Article written by/or information provided by tcamos