Posted On March 7, 2022 Consumer Privacy & Data Breaches

Data Breach Alert: PracticeMax

March 7, 2022 – Recently, PracticeMax announced that the company was the target of a ransomware attack resulting in sensitive consumer information being compromised. Those impacted by a data breach should be sure they understand what happened, what their rights are, and how they can pursue them. The data breach lawyers at Console & Associates, P.C. are actively investigating this security breach. As a part of the investigative process, our attorneys will be interviewing any victims of the breach to determine what harm was caused and whether they are eligible to bring a data breach class action lawsuit against PracticeMax.

What We Know So Far About the PracticeMax Breach

According to an official filing by the company, on May 21, 2021, PracticeMax began experiencing technical issues with its computer network. Upon looking into the incident, the company detected ransomware on certain systems. PracticeMax then launched an internal investigation to learn more about the nature and scope of the incident. It was later determined that between April 17, 2021 and May 5, 2021, an unauthorized party gained access to one of the company’s servers.

Upon learning of the extent of the security breach, PracticeMax then reviewed the affected server to determine whether it contained any sensitive consumer information. On October 19, 2021, PracticeMax began notifying potentially affected individuals on behalf of certain PracticeMax customers. However, as the investigation continued, the company learned more information about the breach. While the compromised information varies by consumer, it may include affected parties’ names, addresses, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, treatment and diagnosis information, health insurance information, financial information, patient account numbers, employer and employee identification numbers, passport numbers, driver’s license numbers, state identification numbers, prescription information, and provider or employee login information.

Between February 11, 2022 and March 4, 2022, PracticeMax sent out additional data breach notification updates to all individuals whose information was compromised. The PracticeMax data breach is believed to have affected as many as 165,698 individuals.

PracticeMax was originally founded in 1969 as a healthcare consulting company. However, over the years, the company shifted its focus to include a broad range of support services to healthcare providers. Today, PracticeMax handles billing, satisfaction research and IT support to hospitals, physicians, practice groups and others in the healthcare industry. PracticeMax is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, and has offices across the United States, including in San Antonio, TX; Shreveport, LA; Portland, OR; Lincoln, NE; Phoenix, AZ and Chicago; IL. The company processes more than $1 billion in annual charges and works with over 5,200 healthcare providers in all 50 states.

Can Consumers Whose Data Was Leaked Pursue Legal Action Against a Company?

When you allowed PracticeMax access to your personal data, you trusted the company to keep your sensitive information safe. However, news of the PracticeMax data breach raises some very serious questions about the company’s data security measures and whether the company could have done more to prevent this type of cyber-attack.

Regardless of the industry, all businesses have a legal obligation to protect consumer information in their possession. Although creating and maintaining a data security system is costly, this is a necessary expense given the frequency with which cyberattacks occur.

Consumers whose personal, identifying, financial or healthcare-related data was compromised in a data breach can pursue legal action against a company that misused or mishandled their information. However, the investigation into the PracticeMax breach is only in its beginning phases. For that reason, it is too early to tell if PracticeMax was legally responsible for the breach. However, our data breach attorneys are investigating the Practice Max data breach to determine the potential legal remedies of those affected.

If you have questions about your ability to pursue a data breach class action lawsuit against PracticeMax, contact a data breach attorney as soon as possible.

What to Do If You Received a Data Breach Notification from PracticeMax

If you receive a data breach notification from PracticeMax in the coming weeks, it means your personal data was among that which was compromised in the recent cyberattack. It also means a cybercriminal may have had access to—and may have stolen—your personal data. Given the risks involved, it is important you remain vigilant by taking the following steps:

1. Figure Out What Information Was Stolen: Carefully review the data breach letter sent by PracticeMax, keeping in mind the information you provided to the company as well as the type of data that was compromised in the breach. You should also take a copy of the data breach letter and keep it for your records. Of course, data breach letters are not always easy to understand. A consumer privacy lawyer can help victims of a data breach understand what was compromised and how to protect themselves.
2. Prevent the Hacker from Accessing Your Accounts: Once you determine the scope of the breach and how it affected you, you should take all steps to prevent cybercriminals from accessing your credit or financial accounts. For example, you should change all passwords and security questions for your online accounts. You should also consider setting up multi-factor authentication where it is available.
3. Protect Your Credit and Your Financial Accounts: In the wake of a data breach, companies usually provide free credit monitoring services for a specified period of time. This is not a gimmick, and you do not give up any rights by taking a company up on their offer. Additionally, you should contact one of the three main credit bureaus to request a copy of your credit report. Even if you do not notice any signs of fraud or unauthorized activity, it is a good idea to request a fraud alert. Fraud alerts are free and serve as a red flag to potential lenders and creditors that your information was compromised.
4. Consider a Credit Freeze: A credit freeze prevents access to your credit report unless you specifically authorize it. Credit freezes are free and last until you remove them. While placing a credit freeze on your accounts may initially seem like a drastic measure, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center (“ITRC”), doing so is the “single most effective way to prevent a new credit/financial account from being opened.” However, ITRC reports that just 3% of consumers whose information is leaked place a freeze on their accounts. Once a credit freeze is in place, you can temporarily lift the freeze if you need to apply for any type of credit.
5. Regularly Monitor Your Credit Report and Financial Accounts: Protecting yourself in the wake of a data breach is not a one-time task. You should continually monitor your credit report and all financial accounts, keeping an eye out for any signs of unauthorized activity or fraud. You may also consider calling your banks and credit card companies to report the fact that your information was compromised in a data breach.

If You Have Questions About Your Rights Following the Practice Max Data Breach, Console & Associates, P.C. Can Help

At Console & Associates, P.C., our consumer privacy lawyers monitor all security and data breaches to help affected consumers pursue their legal remedies. We offer free consultations to victims of data breaches and can explain your rights in clear, understandable terms so you can make an informed decision about how to proceed with your case. If you’ve been affected by the PracticeMax data breach or any other data security incident, Console & Associates, P.C., will investigate your case at no charge and offer you thorough advice about how to most effectively proceed with your case. If you decide to bring a case, we only get paid if you do. If your claim is successful, any legal fees are either paid by the defendant or come out of the funds recovered from the defendant. If your claim doesn’t result in a recovery, you will pay nothing.

To schedule your free consultation, just call (866) 778-5500 today or fill out our secure contact form.