Posted On March 16, 2023 Consumer Privacy & Data Breaches
March 16, 2023 – NorthStar Emergency Medical Services (NorthStar) discovered that a third party had obtained access to private patient data that was kept on the business’s IT network on March 14, 2023, and as a result, NorthStar filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of Maine. The incident led to the unauthorized party learning the names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, treatment information, health insurance information, Medicare/Medicaid numbers, and patient ID numbers of the consumers, according to the company’s filing. After verifying that customer data had been compromised, NorthStar started notifying all 82,450 individuals affected by the recent data security incident.
The breach is currently being looked into by the Console & Associates, P.C. data breach lawyers. You might be eligible for monetary compensation from NorthStar if you’ve received a breach notification letter from the business. To assist victims in learning about the dangers of identity theft and what they can do to protect themselves, we are providing free consultations.
With ambulance stations in Beebe, Heber Springs, and Bald Knob, in addition to its headquarters and two additional stations in Searcy, Arkansas, NorthStar Emergency Medical Services provides advanced life support ambulance services to the entirety of White County. NorthStar Emergency Medical Services, which was founded in 2000, now employs over 126 people and brings in about $14 million in revenue yearly.
On September 16, 2022, NorthStar discovered suspicious behavior within its computer system, according to the company’s filing with the Maine Attorney General. As a result, the business ensured the security of its systems and started collaborating with external cybersecurity specialists to look into the incident.
The NorthStar inquiry proved that certain files kept on the business’s computer network were accessible to an unauthorized party. It was subsequently discovered that some of these files contained patients’ private information, so the company began looking into the affected files.
By March 8, 2023, it had been discovered that consumers’ names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, treatment information, health insurance information, Medicare/Medicaid numbers, and patient ID numbers could all have been compromised, though the specifics may vary by individual.
On March 14, 2023, NorthStar Emergency Medical Services sent data breach notification letters to all 82,450 individuals who had been affected by the leak in confidential information.
If you received a notification letter from NorthStar Emergency Medical Services about the data breach, it means that your information may now be in the hands of hackers. Criminals attempting to commit identity theft may have access to information like your complete name, license number, financial account information, and Social Security number.
We’ve compiled a list of actions you should take as soon as you learn your confidential information has been compromised. You might want to take additional actions because the list is not comprehensive.
NorthStar will give you a letter informing you if your information was exposed during the cyberattack. You should read the letter carefully because it may include information on how the information was accessed, what the business is doing to protect sensitive information going forward, and whether anyone impacted has ever been a fraud or identity theft victim.
Once they have access to the stolen data, hackers usually don’t hesitate to use it. They don’t want to give people time to close and freeze their accounts. They may, however, keep the information for weeks or even months before using it if they need more information to carry out their illegal activities. After your information is compromised, you should keep watching it and keep an eye out for any unusual behavior.
Major credit bureaus offer free services like fraud alerts and credit freezes. Any businesses that check your credit will be informed if someone is attempting to commit fraud using your information. With a credit block, businesses cannot check your credit without your permission.
NorthStar has provided complimentary credit monitoring services to those affected by the breach. Credit monitoring usually entails a monthly fee but will notify you of any suspicious activity on your financial accounts. Enrolling in NorthStar’s free service enables you to stay on top of your accounts.
The consumer privacy lawyers at Console & Associates, P.C. help customers affected by data and security breaches pursue legal solutions by offering free consultations. By explaining your rights in clear, concise terms, we help you make an informed decision about your next steps. If you are a victim of the NorthStar Emergency Medical Services data breach, Console & Associates, P.C. will investigate at no charge to you and offer advice on how to proceed. If you decide to pursue a case, rest assured that we don’t get paid unless you do. If your claim is successful, legal fees are either paid out of the funds recovered or by the defendant. If your claim is not successful, you pay nothing.
To schedule your free consultation, just call (866) 778-5500 today or fill out our secure contact form.
Dear [Redacted],
We are writing to inform you of a recent data security incident experienced by NorthStar Emergency Medical Services (“NorthStar”) headquartered in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, that may have involved some of your information. This letter is to notify you of the incident, offer you complimentary identity protection services, and inform you about steps you can take to help protect your personal information.
What Happened: On September 16, 2022, NorthStar discovered unusual activity in its digital environment. Upon discovering this activity, we immediately took steps to secure our environment. We also engaged independent cybersecurity experts to conduct an investigation. As a result of this investigation, we learned that an unauthorized actor accessed certain files and data stored within our systems. Upon learning of the unauthorized access, we undertook a review of the potentially affected data. On March 8, 2023, we determined that your personal and/or protected health information may have been impacted by this incident. There is no evidence that your information has been misused.
However, out of an abundance of caution, we are notifying you about the incident, providing you with resources to help you protect your personal information, and offering you complimentary identity protection services.
What Information Was Involved: The data that could have potentially been accessed by the unauthorized party included your name, Social Security Number, and certain protected health information.
What We Are Doing: To help prevent something like this from happening again, we are implementing additional technical security measures. We are also providing you with information about steps that you can take to help protect your personal information. As a further precaution, we are offering you [Redacted] months of complimentary identity monitoring services through IDX. This product helps detect possible misuse of your information and provides you with identity protection support.
What You Can Do: You can follow the recommendations included with this letter to help protect your information. In addition, you can also enroll in IDX’s complimentary credit and identity monitoring services by going to [Redacted] or calling (833) 753-4562. When prompted, please provide the unique code noted above to enroll in the services. The deadline to enroll is June 14, 2023. For more information on how you can protect your personal information, please review the resources provided on the following pages.
For More Information: If you have any questions regarding the incident or would like assistance with enrolling in the services offered, please call (833) 753-4562 between 8 am – 8 pm CST.
The security of the information in our possession is a top priority for NorthStar. We take your trust in us and this matter very seriously and we deeply regret any worry or inconvenience that this may cause you.
