By Times Chronicle Staff
Interior Health (IH) asks individuals who worked at the health authority from 2003 to 2009 to contact a toll-free number to determine if their personal information is contained in a document recovered in an RCMP investigation.
In January, the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP informed IH about a document discovered during an investigation that contained the personal information of 20,000 individuals, including current and former employees of IH.
The information seized by police included names, dates of birth, social insurance numbers, home addresses, phone numbers, and the individuals’ age in 2009. IH said no patient information was included in the document retrieved by RCMP.
IH has confirmed there are approximately 7,000 current employees listed and are taking steps to notify them. Due to the age of the data and its broad scope, IH is not able to accurately confirm the former employee’s information nor where the information came from.
“Interior Health’s top priority is to ensure that personal information is always protected,” said Brent Kruschel, IH vice president of digital health. He said IH is reaching out to employees who worked for the organization during that period and if their information is included in the document to ensure they receive support, including credit monitoring.
IH said it has also hired external security experts to conduct a review of this situation. These external experts confirmed that this information is not on the dark web.
No arrests or charges have been made in this case according to Constable Chris Terleski, Media Relations Officer for the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP.
“As part of the continuing investigation, we are releasing this information so potentially impacted individuals can take the necessary steps to safeguard themselves.” He also highlighted the “persistent threat” of identity theft and pointed to ways in which individuals can proactively safeguard their information.
“You can significantly reduce your risk by educating yourself and staying informed about common fraud schemes and tactics, regularly monitoring your credit, and routinely reviewing financial accounts for any unusual activity.”
Anyone who was employed by IH between 2003 and 2009 is encouraged to call 1-833-705-2569 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday to Friday to determine if their information is in the document recovered by the RCMP, and if so for more information about steps they can take to protect their personal information. There is also additional information on the IH website.
If you or someone you know is a victim of fraud, contact your local police service to report the crime and report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) online or toll-free at 1-888-495-8501. If a financial loss did not occur, still report it to the CAFC.
