UNITE HERE is providing notice of an event that occurred which may affect the privacy of information of members of the international Union. Although we are unaware of any misuse of information, we are notifying affected members to let them know what happened, what we have done, and what they can do to protect their personal information, if they want.
What Happened? On October 20, 2023, we became aware that an unauthorized third-party accessed our systems. Thereafter, we took steps to stop the access and increase security. We also brought in cyber specialists to investigate the nature and scope of the incident. UNITE HERE identified the affected files and began conducting a comprehensive review of the files in order to identify the type of information contained therein, and to whom the information relates. On February 23, 2024 UNITE HERE began notifying impacted individuals who reside within the United States. On August 5, 2024, UNITE HERE received the final results of the review of the files and located missing addresses in order to provide accurate notice to Canadian residents. Through this notice, UNITE HERE is providing notice to any individuals residing internationally.
What Information Was Involved? We have no evidence of any identity theft or fraud in connection with this incident, we are notifying those individuals whose information was present in the system at the time of the incident. The third-party likely accessed information including names, Social Insurance numbers or US Social Security Numbers (if applicable), dates of birth, signatures, and insurance eligibility information.
What Is UNITE HERE Doing. The confidentiality, privacy, and security of information in our care is one of our highest priorities. When we discovered this incident, we immediately reset system passwords, added extra layers of security, and investigated what data may be at risk. We also notified law enforcement. We are continuing to work to lower the chances of something like this happening again. In addition, we are offering credit monitoring and identity theft protection services through Experian.
What You Can Do. To be vigilant against identity theft and fraud, we suggest you:
- Review your account statements and credit reports for suspicious activity or errors.
- Review the enclosed Steps You Can Take to Help Protect Your Information to learn helpful tips on steps you can take to protect against possible information misuse.
- Enroll in the complimentary credit monitoring services we are offering to you.
For More Information. We understand that you may have questions that are not addressed. If you have additional questions, please call the dedicated assistance line at +1-833-918-6622, Monday through Friday, from 8am – 8pm Central Time (excluding U.S. holidays) or write UNITE HERE at 275 7th Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, New York 10001. UNITE HERE recommends that potentially impacted individuals follow the recommendations in the letter they received and contact the call center with any questions.
Sincerely,
UNITE HERE
Steps You Can Take to Help Protect Your Information
Additional Steps
1. Be vigilant for signs of identity fraud
It is possible that unauthorized individuals could attempt to use the personal or confidential information listed above for the purposes of attempted identity fraud. This means that they could try to use that information to impersonate you to obtain a benefit or service. Please remain vigilant for any potential signs of identity fraud such as suspicious activity on your bank accounts, unauthorized redirection of mail, unauthorized porting of your mobile phone, or receiving goods or services that you did not order.
If you suspect that your Social Insurance number is being used fraudulently, Service Canada advises taking the following steps:
- File a complaint with the police. Ask for the case reference number and the officer’s name and telephone number. If you choose to obtain a copy of the police report, make sure it states your name and SIN.
- Contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501. The national anti-fraud call center is jointly managed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ontario Provincial Police and Competition Bureau Canada. They provide advice and assistance about identity theft.
- Call Canada’s two national credit bureaus. Ask for a copy of your credit report. Review it for any suspicious activity. Also check to see if your credit file should be flagged.
- Inform your bank and creditors by phone and in writing about any irregularities.
- Report any irregularities in your mail delivery to Canada Post, for example, opened envelopes, missing financial statements or documents.
- Visit a Service Canada office and bring all the necessary documents with you proving fraud or misuse of your Social Insurance number. Also bring an original identity document (your birth certificate, or immigration or citizenship document). One of its officials will review your information and provide you with assistance and guidance.
Fraud Alert: You may want to consider placing a fraud alert on your credit report. The process of placing a fraud alert is slightly different with each of the credit bureaus.
To place a fraud alert on your TransUnion credit account, you may access https://www.transunion.ca/assistance/fraud-victims-resources and follow the instructions provided. Or, you can call TransUnion at 1-800-663-9980 and follow the automated prompts to place a fraud alert.
To place a fraud alert on your Equifax credit account, you can call Equifax at 1-800-465-7166 and follow the voice prompts. Be prepared to supply your Social Insurance number and other basic information.
Alert the CRA: You can place an alert with the Canada Revenue Agency by calling them at 1-800-959-8281.
2. Request and review a copy of your credit report from one or both credit reporting agencies
Request and review a copy of your credit report from Equifax or Transunion to ensure there are no unfamiliar transactions or data. They can be reached at:
Equifax Canada
Centre de service à la clientèle
P.O. Box 190, Station Jean-Talon
Montreal, QC H1S 2Z2
www.equifax.ca
(800) 465-7166
TransUnion Canada
Centre de service à la clientèle
P.O. Box 338, LCD 1
Hamilton, ON L8L 7W2
www.transunion.ca
(800) 663-9980
3. Be wary of social engineering attempts
It is possible that unauthorized individuals may try to use this information for other fraudulent purposes. A fraudster may contact you in an attempt to trick you into providing more personal information or access credentials, or to divert payments to or from you. To protect yourself against social engineering:
- be wary of anyone that contacts you and requests personal information or access credentials from you, even if they appear to know other details about you;
- do not respond to email or text messages asking for personal information – few legitimate organizations will ask for personal information by email or text;
- be on the lookout for spoofed email address – hover over the email address to see and verify the exact email address (rather than just the name used);
- be careful of unsolicited telephone calls which purport to be from a government authority or business;
- remain vigilant regarding any suspicious emails that ask you to open attachments or click on links – do not click on links unless you have confirmed they are legitimate;
- be suspicious of any requests for changes made to payment instructions and confirm all such changes by phone call to known and trusted numbers; and,
- if in doubt, send an independent email (i.e., do not click “reply”) to the sender to confirm the contents of the original email, or alternatively, call the sender to confirm they sent the email.
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