What INTEGRIS Health Patients Can Do After Data Breach

INTEGRIS Health is advising its patients to take precautions following a data breach in which hackers claimed to have stolen the information of millions of people.

Viewers have been messaging News 9 about an email they've received in the last few days that lists their individual addresses, phone numbers, birth dates and social security numbers. The email appears to be from hackers who said they breached INTEGRIS Health last month and stole the data of more than 2 million patients. In the email, the hackers threatened to sell the data on the dark web on Jan. 5 unless each victim pays $50 to protect their information.

"I was pretty freaked out," said an INTEGERIS Health patient who received the email that listed her personal data. 

The patient wished to remain anonymous because she feared the breach could affect her business.

"I have literally been worrying about this since I got the email at 6 (Sunday evening). I haven't done anything with my family because of this," the patient said. "This has been kind of consuming because we're trying to help other people. I have people reaching out to me that have gotten the same email."

INTEGRIS Health said it determined that the potential breach happened on Nov. 28. On Sunday, the health system learned that patients began receiving the emails from the hackers.

The emails include instructions on how to pay the $50 to the hackers and links to make the transaction possible. INTEGRIS Health said recipients should not respond or contact the sender and avoid clicking the links.

INTEGRIS Health is advising affected patients to obtain a free credit report to check for suspicious accounts or charges. They can get a report by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com or calling 1-877-322-8228.

Patients can also place a fraud alert on their credit reports, which would require businesses to confirm their identities before issuing new credit in their names. Alternatively, they can freeze their credit reports, which would prevent people from opening a new account in their names. To obtain those services for free, contact the three credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. 

In addition, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) advises affected people to file their taxes early to prevent scammers from using their social security numbers to get tax refunds.

Click here for more tips from the FTC.

Click here for information from INTEGRIS Health on additional precautions.