Youth Consultation Service Security Incident

Youth Consultation Service (“YCS”) is committed to protecting the security and confidentiality of the information we receive as a result of the services we provide. Accordingly, we are providing notice of an event that may affect the security of certain information. While we have no reports of identity theft or fraud as a result of this event, we take this incident seriously and are providing individuals with information about the event, the steps we have taken and are taking in response, and additional steps individuals can take, should they feel it is appropriate to do so.

What Happened? On or about May 21, 2021, YCS discovered that the servers at its YCS Foundation location were inaccessible. We responded to this incident immediately and began an investigation to assess the security of our systems and to confirm the full nature and scope of the activity. Through our investigation and response, we determined that an unknown individual(s) had gained access to certain parts of our computer network between April 13, 2021 and May 21, 2021. The investigation further revealed that the unknown individual(s) viewed and/or took certain files during that time. Accordingly, YCS, with the assistance of data review specialists, undertook a comprehensive and time-intensive review of the contents of the affected files to determine what information was contained therein and to whom the information related. We then conducted a manual review of our internal records to locate address information for potentially impacted individuals and determine our relationship to those individuals in order to provide accurate and complete notices, which was completed on February 16, 2022.

What Information Was Involved? We currently have no evidence of identity theft or fraud in connection with this incident. YCS sent notification letters to affected individuals for whom we have sufficient contact information indicating the types of information affected. The potentially impacted information varies by individual, but may have included: names, contact information, Social Security numbers, driver’s license/state identification numbers, financial account information, medical information (such as medical history, diagnosis, treatment information, physician information and/or prescription medication information), and health insurance information.

What We Are Doing. In response to the incident, YCS has taken the following actions to mitigate the risk of compromise to your information and to better prevent a similar event from recurring: (1) changed user passwords; (2) implemented enhanced technical safeguards to strengthen the security of the YCS environment; (3) monitored network activity and remediated any suspicious activity, with the assistance of third-party specialists; and (4) began providing notification to potentially impacted individuals as quickly as possible. Further, we are adapting our existing employee training protocols relating to data protection and security. We also notified federal law enforcement authorities of the incident and provided relevant regulatory notices, including notice to the Department of Health and Human Services.

What You Can Do. YCS encourages all individuals to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing account statements and explanation of benefits, and monitoring free credit reports for suspicious activity. We also encourage individuals to review the below Steps You Can Take to Help Protect Personal Information that includes additional action individuals may take to protect their information should they feel it appropriate to do so.

YCS understands that you may have questions about this incident. If so, please contact us at 1-833-648-2052 (toll free), Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET, excluding U.S. holidays. You may also write to YCS at 284 Broadway, Newark, NJ 07104.

STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO HELP PROTECT PERSONAL INFORMATION

Monitor Your Accounts

Under U.S. law, a consumer is entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. To order your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. You may also directly contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below to request a free copy of your credit report.

Consumers have the right to place an initial or extended “fraud alert” on a credit file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumer’s credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumer’s credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumer’s identity before extending new credit. If you are a victim of identity theft, you are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years. Should you wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any one of the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below.

As an alternative to a fraud alert, consumers have the right to place a “credit freeze” on a credit report, which will prohibit a credit bureau from releasing information in the credit report without the consumer’s express authorization. The credit freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in your name without your consent. However, you should be aware that using a credit freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in your credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application you make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit. Pursuant to federal law, you cannot be charged to place or lift a credit freeze on your credit report. To request a security freeze, you will need to provide the following information:

    1. Full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.);

    2. Social Security number;

    3. Date of birth;

    4. Addresses for the prior two to five years;

    5. Proof of current address, such as a current utility bill or telephone bill;

    6. A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver’s license or ID card, military identification, etc.); and

    7. A copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft if you are a victim of identity theft.

Should you wish to place a fraud alert or credit freeze, please contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below:

    Experian

      https://www.experian.com/help/
      1-888-397-3742

      Experian Fraud Alert
      P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013

      Experian Credit Freeze
      P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013

Additional Information

You may further educate yourself regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, credit freezes, and the steps you can take to protect your personal information by contacting the consumer reporting bureaus, the Federal Trade Commission, or your state Attorney General. The Federal Trade Commission may be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20580; www.identitytheft.gov; 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. You can obtain further information on how to file such a complaint by way of the contact information listed above. You have the right to file a police report if you ever experience identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a report with law enforcement for identity theft, you will likely need to provide some proof that you have been a victim. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement and your state Attorney General. This notice has not been delayed by law enforcement.

For District of Columbia residents, the District of Columbia Attorney General may be contacted at: 400 6th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20001; 202-727-3400; and oag@dc.gov.

For Maryland residents, the Maryland Attorney General may be contacted at: 200 St. Paul Place, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202; 1-410-528-8662 or 1-888-743-0023; and www.oag.state.md.us. YCS is located at 284 Broadway, Newark, NJ 07104.

For North Carolina residents,i> the North Carolina Attorney General may be contacted at: 9001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-9001; 1-877-566-7226 or 1-919-716-6000; and www.ncdoj.gov.

For New Mexico residents, you have rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, such as the right to be told if information in your credit file has been used against you, the right to know what is in your credit file, the right to ask for your credit score, and the right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information. Further, pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the consumer reporting bureaus must correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information; consumer reporting agencies may not report outdated negative information; access to your file is limited; you must give your consent for credit reports to be provided to employers; you may limit “prescreened” offers of credit and insurance you get based on information in your credit report; and you may seek damages from violator. You may have additional rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act not summarized here. Identity theft victims and active duty military personnel have specific additional rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act. We encourage you to review your rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act by visiting www.consumerfinance.gov/f/201504_cfpb_summary_your-rights-under-fcra.pdf, or by writing Consumer Response Center, Room 130-A, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580.

For Rhode Island residents,the Rhode Island Attorney General may be reached at: 150 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903; www.riag.ri.gov; and 1-401-274-4400. Under Rhode Island law, you have the right to obtain any police report filed in regard to this incident. There are 2 known Rhode Island residents impacted by this incident.

For New York residents, the New York Attorney General may be contacted at: Office of the Attorney General, The Capitol, Albany, NY 12224-0341; 1-800-771-7755; or https://ag.ny.gov/.