Subscribe by RSSIdentity Protection: Check Your Name in the Library
Posted by Dennis Reed, Jr. on April 23, 2008
As some of you may be aware, a laptop computer containing some students’ information, including a number of Buffalo State students’ names and social security numbers, was recently stolen (not from Buffalo State). Please see the official Buffalo State “Identity Data Disclosure” page for complete information about what happened, and what you can do to protect yourself.
Affected students are being contacted by mail. In addition, a “name check” station has been set up in E. H. Butler Library at the second Reference Desk in the lower lobby, and is staffed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. This station will operate until May 9th.
Bring your Buffalo State Student ID, and proof of your permanent address (your driver’s license, utility bill, or a piece of mail), and if your name appears on the list of students whose information has been compromised, you will be provided with a PIN number which you can use to obtain one year of free credit monitoring.
Do you have questions about the name check station? Please feel free to ask them below, and we will do our best to answer them.
April 29, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Who do we speak to, to make sure that the letters we are getting are not a scam? We want to be sure this is correct!
April 30, 2008 at 3:47 am
So where exactly do I need to go when I have been notified? I have looked on both the Sungard website and Buff State’s and neither tells me what to do once I have a PIN
April 30, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Hi Shannon,
If you have recieved a letter…call SunGard’s toll free number that is on the letter. You will need the PIN from your letter when calling. Once you get through (the help lines might be busy), they will assist you in signing up for a free credit report and monitoring (which you will receive for one year if you are on the list).
You should also check out the Federal Trade Commission’s Website at http://www.ftc.gov which has a lot of useful information on Identity Fraud.
Hope that helps. If you have more questions on what to do once you have the letter (or to see if your name is on the list), you can call the namecheck hotline at the library 866-321-4628.
Thanks!
April 30, 2008 at 2:30 pm
I have followed the procedures of calling SunGard’s hotline to obtain an access code and website address to enroll in the credit monitoring service. I tried several times to enroll through the website provided with the access code. Each time I receive the following message “Please contact customer care at 1-866-252-8809 for further assistance with the enrollment process”.
I spent 30 minutes on the phone with this customer care line and was told to “keep trying”,”try again later”, and “try in the morning” after confirming that my access code was correct.
After 6 attempts in 24 hours, I continue to receive the same message “Please contact customer care at 1-866-252-8809 for further assistance with the enrollment process’ and
I am at lost as to where to turn for assitance.
Frankly, the service SunGard and Buff State are providing is absolutely useless and my credit remains at risk!
April 30, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Hi Theresa,
Because of the volume of calls, SunGard has upgraded their phone service and is adding additional operators.
April 30, 2008 at 6:57 pm
Theresa,
We’re sorry to hear that you’ve been having such difficulties getting through. SunGard is aware of the phone situation and is adding additional operators. Hopefully this will help to remedy this frustrating situation. As stated above, please check out the Federal Trade Commission’s Website– there’s a lot of information on the steps to take if you find out your ID is compromised/how to protect your ID (*everyone* is entitled to one free credit report a year, and there is information on this site to obtain that as well. This will at least tell you if there has been any activity). If you are on the Sungard list, they are providing one free year of credit monitoring as a courtesy.
Sorry again for your frustration and thanks for your patience.