Notice of Data Privacy Event

Kershaw County School District (“KCSD”) is providing notice of an incident that may have involved certain individuals’ personal information. We are providing information about the incident, our response, and resources available to individuals to help protect their information, should they feel that it is appropriate to do so.

What Happened.

On November 27, 2023, KCSD discovered suspicious activity in its computer network, and determined that some of its systems were encrypted. KCSD promptly commenced an investigation with the assistance of third-party specialists to determine the nature and scope of this unauthorized activity. KCSD also worked to securely restore impacted system operations as quickly as possible. The investigation found that between November 21 and November 27, 2023, an unauthorized actor accessed or acquired certain data stored in the KCSD computer network. KCSD then reviewed the involved data to determine what information it contained and to whom it related and to identify available contact information. This review was recently completed.

What Information Was Involved?

The investigation determined that the following types of information were present in the data at issue: name, Social Security number, driver’s license or state identification number, financial account information, health insurance information, and medical information.

What We Are Doing.

KCSD takes this incident and the security of the information in our care very seriously. Upon discovering the incident, we worked to ensure the security of our environment and worked with third-party cybersecurity specialists to investigate the unauthorized activity to determine what occurred. We also notified federal law enforcement regarding this incident. Additionally, KCSD has implemented additional technical safeguards to help prevent similar incidents in the future.

KCSD is notifying affected individuals via this supplemental notification on our website, providing notice to relevant media outlets, and mailing letters to individuals for whom we have address information. We are also notifying the three major consumer reporting agencies (i.e., Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) and appropriate government regulators.

What You Can Do.

Individuals are encouraged to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft or fraud by reviewing account statements and explanations of benefits and monitoring free credit reports for suspicious activity over the next 12 – 24 months. Any suspicious activity should be reported to the appropriate insurance company, financial institution, or to law enforcement. Additional resources can be found below in the Steps You Can Take to Protect Personal Information.

For More Information.

If you have additional questions or concerns, KCSD has established a dedicated assistance line at 833-918-7474, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, excluding major U.S. holidays. You can also write to KCSD at 2029 West DeKalb St., Camden, SC, 29020.

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 a free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. Consumers may also directly contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below to request a free copy of their 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 consumers are the victim of identity theft, they are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years. Should consumers wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any 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 a consumer’s name without consent. However, consumers should be aware that using a credit freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in their credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application they make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit. Pursuant to federal law, consumers cannot be charged to place or lift a credit freeze on their credit report. To request a credit freeze, individuals may need to provide some or all of 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, etc.); and
7. A copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft if they are a victim of identity theft.

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

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Equifax

https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services
1-888-298-0045
Equifax Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 105069 Atlanta, GA 30348-5069
Equifax Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 105788 Atlanta, GA 30348-5788

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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

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TransUnion

https://www.transunion.com/credit-help
1-800-916-8800
TransUnion Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016
TransUnion Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 160, Woodlyn, PA 19094

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Additional Information

Consumers may further educate themselves regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, credit freezes, and the steps they can take to protect your personal information by contacting the consumer reporting bureaus, the Federal Trade Commission, or their state Attorney General. The Federal Trade Commission may be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 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. Consumers can obtain further information on how to file such a complaint by way of the contact information listed above. Consumers have the right to file a police report if they ever experience identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a report with law enforcement for identity theft, consumers will likely need to provide some proof that they have been a victim. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement and the relevant state Attorney General. This notice has not been delayed by law enforcement.