COLUMBUS, Ohio – As many as 80 million people in Ohio and three dozen other states may have had their personal information stolen as a result of a cyberattack on the health insurance company Anthem, which administers Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans in 37 states.
EXTRA: How to detect and prevent identity theft
The company says the hackers who got into its computer network did not get away with any credit card information, but also says it will provide free credit monitoring and identity protection services for any customers who might have been affected.
Breaches involving Social Security numbers have the potential to be far more detrimental to victims, and the damage can be difficult to repair, according to the office of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine.
Victims of identity theft can contact the office’s Identity Theft Unit at 800-282-0515 or online. The unit helps victims correct the effects of identity theft.
The company says the hackers were able to gain access to personal information, including names, birthdates, email addresses, employment details, Social Security numbers, incomes and street addresses of current and past customers