The Washington State Auditor’s Office (SAO) announced a data breach with a third-party vendor, Accellion, that exposed the personal information of 1.4 million Washington residents who filed for unemployment between January 1, 2020, and December 10, 2020. The SAO said the compromised data includes Social Security numbers, other personal identification, employment history, and bank information.
People with personal information at risk will be notified and the State Auditor’s Office has set up a secured web page that provides updated details regarding the breach and additional information on identity theft and what you can do if you’re affected.
With personal information revealed from the breach, scammers could target those exposed in phishing and social engineering attempts. If you are concerned that you may be at risk, here are steps to take to safeguard your accounts.
Monitor your account for unusual activity and transactions
Review your transaction history frequently and stay on the lookout for charges you don’t recognize.
Increase your security with passwords
A strong password has a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and characters not easily guessed. Make sure to change your passwords often and never use the same password for more than one website. Do not write your passwords down in a notebook or on a piece of paper. Instead, use an online password manager like LastPass.
Set up alerts
Take advantage of the features available in our Online Banking system. You can set up email or text message alerts for debit and credit card transactions, when a transaction over a certain dollar amount posts, or when there is a failed login attempt to your account.
Free credit monitoring tools
SavvyMoney is a suite of free credit monitoring tools available to Salal members in Mobile & Online Banking. SavvyMoney makes it easy for you to watch out for suspicious activity on your credit accounts.
Protect yourself from phishing scams
Learn to recognize and avoid phishing emails, threatening calls, and texts from thieves posing as your credit union, credit card company, or even the IRS. Do not click on links or download attachments from suspicious emails. Be cautious of giving out personal information over the phone, especially if you weren’t expecting the call. Learn more best practices to keep your personal information safe.
For the latest Accellion breach updates, visit the state auditor’s website.