A document containing the personal information of thousands of current and former Interior Health (IH) employees has been recovered by the RCMP, and the health authority is now looking to get in touch with anyone who worked there from 2003 to 2009.
In January, the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP informed IH about a document containing the personal information that had been discovered during an investigation and seized. The information included names, dates of birth, social insurance numbers, home addresses, phone numbers, and the individuals’ age in 2009.
“The document provided to IH has more than 20,000 names on it,” IH said in a media release Thursday, March 7.
No patient information was included in the document, IH said.
The health authority has confirmed there are about 7,000 current employees listed and steps are being taken to notify them. However, IH says it is unable to accurately confirm the former employee health information or where the information came from.
“Interior Health’s top priority is to ensure that personal information is always protected. We are reaching out to employees who worked for us during these years to ensure that if their information is involved, that they receive supports, including credit monitoring, if they are part of this investigation,” said Brent Kruschel, IH vice president of digital health.
Anyone who was employed by IH between 2003 and 2009 is asked to call a toll-free number, 1-833-705-2569, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday to Friday to determine if their personal information is in the document recovered by police. If so, they’ll be given more information about steps they can take to protect their personal information.
Additional information can be found at interiorhealth.ca/messageforIHstaff.
No arrests or charges have been made in connection to the stolen document, according to Const. Chris Terleski, media relations officer for the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP.
“As part of the continuing investigation, we are releasing this information so potentially impacted individuals can take the necessary steps to safeguard themselves,” Terleski said. “It is a timely reminder that identity fraud continues to be a persistent threat in our community and brings to light the importance of taking proactive steps to safeguard yourself. You can significantly reduce your risk by educating yourself and staying informed about common fraud schemes and tactics, regularly monitoring your credit, and routinely reviewing financial accounts for any unusual activity.”
IH is working closely with the RCMP and has also hired external security experts to conduct a review of the situation.
IH says the external experts have confirmed that the personal information is not on the dark web.
If you or someone you know is a victim of a fraud, contact your local police service to report the crime and report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) online or toll-free at 1-888-495-8501. If a financial loss did not occur, still report it to the CAFC.
READ MORE: Closure of Vernon hospital doors leaves cancer patients cold
READ MORE: Oliver hospital’s emergency room closing for 19 hours