Black, Gould & Associates, Inc. Provides Notice of Data Security Incident

PHOENIX, Dec. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Black, Gould & Associates, Inc. ("BGA") is providing notice of a recent incident that may impact the privacy of certain individuals' personal information. This notice provides information about the incident, BGA's response to it, and resources available to assist individuals in safeguarding their information, should they feel it necessary to do so. BGA values and respects the confidentiality, privacy, and security of the information within its care. 

What Happened?  BGA recently experienced a security incident that resulted in unauthorized access to certain computer systems within its network. BGA immediately launched an investigation with assistance from third-party digital forensics specialists to determine the nature and scope of the incident. Through the investigation, BGA identified unauthorized access within our environment between August 31, 2022 and September 10, 2022. BGA undertook a thorough review of the potentially affected files to determine whether any potentially sensitive information was present within them. On September 21, 2022, BGA confirmed the population of individuals whose information was included in the affected files. On October 13, 2022, BGA notified relevant brokers that certain information may have been impacted. After confirming with its brokers, BGA then proceeded promptly with direct notifications to individuals for whom address information was available.

What Information Was Involved?  BGA's investigation determined the certain information relating to individuals were present in files stored on its systems during the period of unauthorized access. That information included name, address, date of birth, and Social Security number. Please note that the information varied by individual and for many individuals. 

What We Are Doing.  BGA treats its duty to safeguard the information entrusted to it as an utmost priority. BGA responded immediately to this incident, promptly notified law enforcement authorities, and has been working diligently to provide individuals with an accurate and complete notice of the incident as soon as possible. BGA also took steps to secure potentially affected systems and conduct a diligent investigation aided by third-party cybersecurity specialists. Further, BGA implemented additional technical security measures designed to mitigate and minimize the recurrence of a similar future incident. BGA is also offering access to complimentary credit monitoring and identity protection services through IDX to individuals whose personal information may be impacted by this incident.

What You Can Do.  Individuals can find out more about how to protect themselves against the potential misuse of information by reviewing the information sheet on BGA's website entitled "Steps You Can Take to Protect Information." BGA's website can be accessed at: https://www.blackgould.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/WebsiteNotice-SecurityIncident-1.pdf. The information sheet provides additional details regarding fraud alerts and credit freezes, as well as contact information for the nationwide consumer reporting agencies.  Individuals will also find further information about the monitoring services BGA is offering to eligible individuals on its website via the hyperlink above. 

For More Information.  If you have questions about this incident that are not addressed in this notice, please call our dedicated assistance line at (833) 814-1737, Monday through Friday from 9 am - 9 pm Eastern Time, excluding U.S. holidays. You may also write to us at: Compliance Department, Black, Gould & Associates, Inc., 3800 N. Central Avenue, 9^th Floor, Phoenix, Arizona 85012.

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SOURCE Black, Gould & Associates, Inc.