Cyber Security Incident Notification
January 23, 2025
At the Baltimore-Washington Conference, we remain deeply committed to safeguarding the privacy and security of your personal information. We have experienced a cybersecurity incident involving unauthorized access to our systems. Upon discovery, we took immediate action: passwords were reset, and a leading IT forensics firm was engaged to conduct a network security scan and begin a thorough investigation. We also strengthened our administrative and security protocols and expanded our multi-factor authentication program.
Following the forensic investigation and data analysis, we determined that some personal data had been accessed and/or exfiltrated. The information could include names, Social Security numbers, passport numbers, health/medical or insurance information, and/or driver’s license information.
To assist affected individuals, we have partnered with IDX, a leading provider of data breach notification and identity theft protection services. On January 17, 2025, IDX mailed letters to impacted individuals. These letters include additional details about the incident and instructions on enrolling in free identity theft protection services. Because these letters are being mailed from IDX’s facility in California, please allow up to seven business days (i.e., until January 29, 2025) for delivery. The Baltimore-Washington Conference also recommends that impacted individuals remain vigilant and is offering credit monitoring and identity theft protection services through IDX.
If you have received a notification letter and have questions, IDX has established a dedicated, toll-free hotline at 1-877-741-1129, available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time. If you have not received a letter but believe you may be impacted, you may call this hotline to verify your status. Should IDX confirm that you are an impacted individual, they will supply you with an Enrollment Code for the free identity theft protection services.
Impacted individuals may enroll in free IDX identity protection services by going to https://app.idx.us/account-creation/protect or by calling the above toll-free hotline and using the Enrollment Code. The deadline to enroll is April 17, 2025.
Please note that conference staff have been directed to refer inquiries to IDX, as their customer service center is specifically equipped to address matters related to this incident. We encourage you to carefully review the notification letter upon receipt. If IDX is not able to address your questions or concerns, they will provide your information to us so that we can research and respond to your inquiry.
If you are an impacted individual, your notification letter will provide recommended steps to help protect your information. That information is also included below for your convenience and for those verified as an impacted individual via phone.
# # #
Steps Impacted Individuals should take to help protect their Information
Print-friendly version
- Website and Enrollment. Impacted individuals may go to https://app.idx.us/account-creation/protect and follow the instructions for enrollment using the Enrollment Code provided at the top of the letter. Impacted individuals should activate the credit monitoring provided as part of your IDX identity protection membership. The monitoring included in the membership must be activated to be effective. Note: you must have established credit and access to a computer and the internet to use this service. If you need assistance, IDX will be able to assist you. The deadline to enroll is April 17, 2025.
- Activate the credit monitoring provided as part of your IDX identity protection membership. The monitoring included in the membership must be activated (by April 17, 2025) to be effective. Note: You must have established credit and access to a computer and the internet to use this service. If you need assistance, IDX will be able to assist you.
- Telephone. Impacted individuals may contact IDX at 1-800-939-4170 to gain additional information about this event and speak with knowledgeable representatives about the appropriate steps to take to protect your credit identity.
- Review your credit reports. We recommend that you remain vigilant by reviewing account statements and monitoring credit reports. Under federal law, you also are entitled every 12 months to one free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit reporting companies. To obtain a free annual credit report, go to www.annualcreditreport.com or call 1-877-322-8228. You may wish to stagger your requests so that you receive a free report by one of the three credit bureaus every four months.
If you discover any suspicious items and have enrolled in IDX identity protection, notify them immediately by calling or by logging into the IDX website and filing a request for help.
If you file a request for help or report suspicious activity, you will be contacted by a member of our ID Care team who will help you determine the cause of the suspicious items. In the unlikely event that you fall victim to identity theft as a consequence of this incident, you will be assigned an ID Care Specialist who will work on your behalf to identify, stop and reverse the damage quickly.
You should also know that you have the right to file a police report if you ever experience identity fraud. Please note that in order to file a crime report or incident report with law enforcement for identity theft, you will likely need to provide some kind of proof that you have been a victim. A police report is often required to dispute fraudulent items. You can report suspected incidents of identity theft to local law enforcement or to the Attorney General. - Place Fraud Alerts with the three credit bureaus. If you choose to place a fraud alert, we recommend you do this after activating your credit monitoring. You can place a fraud alert at one of the three major credit bureaus by phone and also via Experian’s or Equifax’s website. A fraud alert tells creditors to follow certain procedures, including contacting you, before they open any new accounts or change your existing accounts. For that reason, placing a fraud alert can protect you, but also may delay you when you seek to obtain credit. The contact information for all three bureaus is as follows:
Credit Bureaus
Equifax Fraud Reporting
1-866-349-5191
P.O. Box 105069
Atlanta, GA 30348-5069Experian Fraud Reporting
1-888-397-3742
P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013TransUnion Fraud Reporting
1-800-680-7289
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19022-2000It is necessary to contact only ONE of these bureaus and use only ONE of these methods. As soon as one of the three bureaus confirms your fraud alert, the others are notified to place alerts on their records as well. You will receive confirmation letters in the mail and will then be able to order all three credit reports, free of charge, for your review. An initial fraud alert will last for one year.
Please Note: No one is allowed to place a fraud alert on your credit report except you. -
Security Freeze. By placing a security freeze, someone who fraudulently acquires your personal identifying information will not be able to use that information to open new accounts or borrow money in your name. You will need to contact the three national credit reporting bureaus listed above to place the freeze. Keep in mind that when you place the freeze, you will not be able to borrow money, obtain instant credit, or get a new credit card until you temporarily lift or permanently remove the freeze. There is no cost to freeze or unfreeze your credit files.
-
You can obtain additional information about the steps you can take to avoid identity theft from the following agencies. The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them.
California Residents: Visit the California Office of Privacy Protection (www.oag.ca.gov/privacy) for additional information on protection against identity theft. Office of the Attorney General of California, 1300 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, Telephone: 1-800-952-5225.
Kentucky Residents: Office of the Attorney General of Kentucky, 700 Capitol Avenue, Suite 118 Frankfort, Kentucky 40601, www.ag.ky.gov, Telephone: 1-502-696-5300.
Maryland Residents: Office of the Attorney General of Maryland, Consumer Protection Division 200 St. Paul Place Baltimore, MD 21202, www.oag.state.md.us/Consumer, Telephone: 1-888-743-0023.
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 agencies 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 a 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. You can 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.
New York Residents: the Attorney General may be contacted at: Office of the Attorney General, The Capitol, Albany, NY 12224-0341; 1-800-771-7755; https://ag.ny.gov/.
North Carolina Residents: Office of the Attorney General of North Carolina, 9001 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-9001, www.ncdoj.gov, Telephone: 1-919-716-6400.
Oregon Residents: Oregon Department of Justice, 1162 Court Street NE, Salem, OR 97301-4096, www.doj.state.or.us/, Telephone: 877-877-9392
Rhode Island Residents: Office of the Attorney General, 150 South Main Street, Providence, Rhode Island 02903, www.riag.ri.gov, Telephone: 401-274-4400
All US Residents: Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20580, https://consumer.ftc.gov, 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338), TTY: 1-866-653-4261.