Sister Companies
Notice of Data Event Altman Specialty Plants – 09/12/2024
On or about September 11, 2023, Altman Specialty Plants (“Altman”) first became aware of suspicious activity affecting certain systems within our network. We immediately launched an investigation into the nature and scope of the incident with the assistance of industry-leading cybersecurity specialists. The investigation determined that certain files and folders within our network were accessed without authorization on or about September 11, 2023.
Following this determination, Altman began an in-depth process to identify the information that may have been contained in the impacted environment, identify the individuals whose information may have been impacted, and reviewed Altman records to identify address information for potentially impacted individuals. This process was completed on July 2, 2024. Altman is notifying individuals out of an abundance of caution as the investigation determined that certain information relating to them may have been accessed or acquired by an unknown unauthorized person.
Following the investigation, Altman determined that the following types of personal information may be affected: name, Social Security number, financial account information, payment card information, driver’s license number, date of birth, passport number, employer identification number, health insurance information, medical information, and username and password. Altman is not aware of any attempted or actual fraudulent misuse of individuals’ information.
Altman takes the confidentiality, privacy, and security of information in its care seriously. Upon learning of this incident, Altman took steps to implement additional safeguards and review our policies and procedures relating to data privacy and security. Altman is mailing letters to potentially affected individuals for whom it has an address.
If you have additional questions, please call our toll free hotline at 855-508-6782 Monday through Friday from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm Pacific Time (excluding U.S. holidays). You may also write to Altman at 3742 Blue Bird Canyon Road, Vista, CA 92084, attention: Human Resources Department.
Altman encourages potentially impacted individuals to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing your account statements and monitoring your free credit reports for suspicious activity and to detect errors. Individuals may contact the three major credit reporting agencies for advice on how to obtain free credit reports and how to place fraud alerts and security freezes on credit files. The relevant contact information is below.
Under U.S. law you are entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus. To order your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. You may also contact the three major credit bureaus directly to request a free copy of your credit report.
You have the right to place a “security freeze” on your credit report, which will prohibit a consumer reporting agency from releasing information in your credit report without your express authorization. The security 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 security 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 security freeze on your credit report. Should you wish to place a security freeze, please contact the major consumer reporting agencies listed below:
Experian
P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013
1-888-397-3742
www.experian.com/freeze/center.html
TransUnion
P.O. Box 160
Woodlyn, PA 19094
1-800-916-8800
www.transunion.com/credit-freeze
Equifax
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348-5788
1-800-685-1111
www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services
In order to request a security freeze, you will need to provide the following information:
- Your full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.);
- Social Security number;
- Date of birth;
- If you have moved in the past five (5) years, provide the addresses where you have lived over the prior five years;
- Proof of current address, such as a current utility bill or telephone bill;
- A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver’s license or ID card, military identification, etc.);
- If you are a victim of identity theft, include a copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft.
As an alternative to a security freeze, you have the right to place an initial or extended “fraud alert” on your file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a one-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 agencies listed below:
Experian
P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013
1-888-397-3742
www.experian.com/freeze/center.html
TransUnion
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016
1-800-916-8800
www.transunion.com/fraud-victim-resource/place-fraud-alert
Equifax
P.O. Box 105069
Atlanta, GA 30348
1-888-766-0008
www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services
You can further educate yourself regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, security freezes, and the steps you can take to protect yourself, by contacting the consumer reporting agencies, the Federal Trade Commission, or your state Attorney General.
The Federal Trade Commission can be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20580, www.identitytheft.gov, 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); 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.
Altman Specialty Plants, LLC – FAQs for Individual Notification
On or around September 11, 2023, Altman Specialty Plants (“Altman”) became aware of suspicious activity affecting certain systems within its network. Altman immediately launched an investigation to determine the nature and scope of the activity. The investigation determined there was unauthorized access to the Altman network and that certain files and folders within their network were accessed without authorization on or about September 11, 2023. Therefore, out of an abundance of caution, Altman, with the assistance of third-party specialists, conducted a comprehensive and time-intensive review of the contents of the files to determine whether sensitive information may have been impacted. This process completed on July 2, 2024.
Altman was first alerted to suspicious activity on September 11, 2023 and immediately launched an investigation in order to determine the nature and scope of the event. As part of this investigation, Altman undertook an in-depth, lengthy, and labor-intensive process to identify what sensitive information belonging to individuals was contained within the impacted systems, to identify the individuals whose information was involved, and to review internal Altman records to identify address information for impacted individuals in order to provide them with notice.
Altman sent written notice of this event to individuals identified as affected by the event where address information is available. If you did not receive a letter, but believe you are affected, please let us know your name and contact information and someone will be in touch to verify if you were impacted.
If you were impacted, the letter sent to you states the information related to you that was involved. If you do not have this information, please provide me with your name and address and we will verify what, if any, information relating to you was involved.
Altman has not identified the individual or individuals who are responsible for this event.
Altman takes this incident and the security of information in its care very seriously. Upon becoming aware of this incident, Altman promptly commenced an investigation to determine the nature and scope of the incident. This investigation and response included, but was not limited to, assessing the security of our systems, reviewing the contents of relevant data for sensitive information, and notifying impacted individuals for whom they had contact information. Altman also notified federal law enforcement. As part of Altman’s ongoing commitment to the privacy of information in their care, Altman has reviewed its policies, procedure and processes to reduce the likelihood of a similar future event. Altman has, or will also, notify applicable regulatory authorities where necessary.
Yes, Altman is offering access to free credit-monitoring and identity restoration services through [credit monitoring vendor]. If you are affected, the letter you received contains information on the services and instructions on how to enroll to receive them.
A fraud alert tells creditors to contact you before they open a new credit account under your Social Security number.
A security freeze is designed to prevent a credit reporting company from releasing your credit report without your consent.
You should monitor your credit report regardless of whether your information has been exposed or you think you may be a victim of identity theft or fraud. Every U.S. consumer over the age of eighteen can receive one free credit report every twelve months by contacting one of the three national credit bureaus or through the Annual Credit Report Service by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com or calling toll-free, 1-877-322-8228.
If you believe you are a victim of attempted or actual identity theft or fraud, we encourage you to take the following steps:
- Contact your financial institution to protect or close any accounts that may have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.
- Contact the credit reporting agencies to place a “fraud alert” or a “credit freeze” on your credit reports.
- File a police report and ask for a copy for your records.
- File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at https://www.identitytheft.gov/.
- File a complaint with your state attorney general.
- Keep good records.
- Keep notes of anyone you talk to regarding this event, what s/he told you, and the date of the conversation;
- Keep originals of all correspondence or forms relating to the suspicious activity, identity theft, or fraud; and
- Retain originals of supporting documentation, such as police reports and letters to and from creditors; send copies only.
- Keep old files, even if you believe the problem is resolved.
We encourage you to better protect against identity theft and fraud if you feel it is appropriate to do so by taking the steps included in our letter, including but not limited to:
- Enrolling to receive the monitoring services we are offering to you, if applicable. Instructions on how to do so are contained in our letter to you.
- Monitoring your credit reports and account statements for suspicious activity and reporting any suspicious activity immediately to the financial institution. You may also resolve the suspicious activity with the assistance of a restoration agent, which is included in the monitoring services we are offering to you.
- Reporting fraudulent activity detected to law enforcement.
Yes, it is legitimate. Altman worked with a mail vendor to print and mail the letter you received.
Altman promptly launched an investigation and worked diligently to identify any affected individuals. Given the nature and volume of the data at issue, it took time to identify any affected individuals and confirm their contact information. As soon as that process was complete, Altman mailed letters to the affected individuals.
