Q:  What happened?
A:  A case that contained computer back-up tapes of the University of Miami was stolen from a vehicle belonging to a private off-site storage company used by the University. An ongoing investigation by law enforcement has not yet recovered the tapes.

Q:  What information was on the tapes?
A:  The tapes contained back-up patient information from the medical school. Anyone who has been a patient of a University of Miami physician or visited a UM facility at any time since January 1, 1999, is likely included on the tapes. For a high percentage of these patients, the data on the tapes included names, addresses, Social Security numbers, or health information. The University will be notifying by mail the approximately 47,000 patients whose data included credit card or other financial information regarding bill payment.

Q:  Are our computer systems affected by this loss?
A:  No, since the event took place outside of University premises, our active systems are not affected by this incident. Your data remains current, available, protected, and unaffected on our systems. Only back-up tapes of the data were affected.

Q: Why are back-up tapes sent off-site for storage and what are they used for?
A:  Back-up tapes are used to facilitate data recovery of our computer systems in the event of a disaster, such as a hurricane or fire. This is standard practice of many organizations. Tapes are often stored at an alternate site so that should a disaster occur at the place of business, the back-up tapes may be retrieved to restore the systems.

Q: Is my personal information at risk?
A:  After consulting with computer security professionals, the University has determined that it is unlikely that the data on the tapes could be accessed by an unauthorized user.  Attempts by a leading Miami-based computer security firm to access the information on identical tapes were unsuccessful.  Therefore, we believe misuse of the information on these tapes is unlikely.

Q: How do I know whether my records were affected?
A: If you have been a patient of a University of Miami physician or visited a UM facility at any time since January 1, 1999, your information is likely included on the tapes.

Q: Was information from UM employees included on the stolen tapes?
A: Yes. Many patients whose data was stolen were UM employees. The tapes also included some employee health benefit information.  

Q: What was the sequence of events?
A: Back-up tapes were picked up by the private off-site storage company from the University of Miami on Monday, March 17. The University was notified on March 19 that a container carrying computer back-up tapes of patient information was stolen from the truck while it was parked in downtown Coral Gables. City officials tell us that several vehicles have been broken into in this area, including another commercial vehicle at the same address. Law enforcement authorities have been investigating and the University launched an internal investigation. The authorities will continue to investigate.

Q: If I have additional questions regarding this issue, what should I do?
A:  Please visit www.dataincident.miami.edu, which is the principal source for information about the incident. As a back-up for this Web site, the University has also established a call center at 1-866-628-4492.

Q: If my name is included on the tapes, does this mean I am the victim of identity theft?
A: No. It is unlikely that someone has accessed your information, so it does not mean that you are a victim of identity theft or that the information may be used to commit fraud. The University of Miami wanted to let you know about the incident so you are aware and may take steps as you see fit.

Q: What protective steps may I take?
A: Again, it is important to note that we have no evidence that the information on the tapes has been accessed or misused in any manner.  You may wish to obtain a free copy of your credit report to make certain that no unusual activity is noted.

Q: How do I obtain a copy of my credit report?
A:  According to the Federal Trade Commission, the three nationwide consumer reporting companies have set up a central Web site, a toll-free telephone number, and a mailing address through which you can order your free annual report.

To order, visit annualcreditreport.com, call 1-877-322-8228, or complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. You may print a request form from www.ftc.gov/freereports. Do not contact the three nationwide consumer reporting companies individually.

You may order your reports from all three nationwide consumer reporting companies at the same time, or you can order your report from each of the companies one at a time. The law allows you to order one free copy of your report from each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies every 12 months. However, the recommended approach is to order one copy every four months from a different reporting company. This will allow you to view this information free of charge once every four months. For additional information, go to the Federal Trade Commission website: www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre34.shtm.

Q: What other steps may I take?
A: You may place a fraud alert on the credit report maintained by each of the nationwide credit bureaus.

Q: What is a fraud alert?
A: A fraud alert is a special message placed for free on your credit report that tells a credit issuer when inquiring about a consumer’s credit that there may be fraud on the account. Before extending new credit, the creditor will call you to confirm that you have applied for such credit. A fraud alert is generally placed on your account for a 90-day period. You can ask that it be reinstated once 90 days have passed, but it is your responsibility to do so.

Q: How do I place a fraud alert on my file?
A:  To place a fraud alert on your file, you may call one of the three credit bureaus and make the request. The bureau you call will automatically forward the fraud alert to the other two. Once the fraud alert is placed on your file, you should receive a confirmation letter from all three credit bureaus. This letter will also contain instructions on how to order a free credit report. Once you receive your report, if you feel something is incorrect or suspicious, call the bureau at the phone number provided on the report.

Here is the contact information for the agencies:

Equifax:         1-800-525-6285; www.equifax.com
Experian:       1-888-397-3742; www.experian.com
TransUnion:  1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com

Q:  Will a fraud alert stop me from using my credit cards or obtaining new credit?
A:  No, it will not stop you from using your credit cards. However, it may slow the process of obtaining new credit. Since the purpose of the fraud alert is to protect you from allowing someone else to open credit in your name, creditors will need to reverify the identity of the person applying for credit.