Recently, GreenSlate, LLC confirmed that the sensitive information of certain consumers was compromised as the result of a data security incident. If you received a data breach notification, it is essential you understand what is at risk. The data breach lawyers at Console & Associates, P.C. are actively investigating the GreenSlate data breach on behalf of people whose information was exposed. As a part of this investigation, we are providing free consultations to anyone affected by the breach who is interested in learning more about the risks of identity theft, what they can do to protect themselves, and what their legal options may be to obtain compensation from GreenSlate. Last year, 1,862 data breaches affected more than 189 million people. On average, victims of identity theft spend 200 hours and over $1,300 recovering their identity. Many victims also suffer emotional distress, credit damage, and may even end up with a criminal record. Taking immediate action is the best way to prevent the worst consequences of a data breach.
GreenSlate, LLC is a business services and payroll service company based in New York, NY. The company specializes in working with clients in the entertainment industry and provides a range of services, including payroll management, production accounting, and tax assistance. GreenSlate has approximately 54 employees and generates over $10 million in annual revenue.
According to an official notice provided by the company, on December 22, 2021, GreenSlate learned that an employee who has since been terminated downloaded scanned documents containing some personal information pertaining to some of the company’s clients. During the course of the company’s investigation, it was determined that the employee downloaded the documents between December 10 and December 15, 2021.
After learning about this event, GreenSlate reviewed the compromised files to determine what consumer information was accessible to the former employee. While the compromised information varies by consumer, it may include their name, date of birth, Social Security Number, Social Insurance Number, work authorization papers, and direct deposit bank account information.
On March 10, 2022, GreenSlate began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals whose information was compromised as a result of the recent data security incident.
Often, data breaches are the result of a hacker gaining unauthorized access to a company’s computer systems with the intention of obtaining sensitive consumer information. While no one can know the reason why a hacker targeted GreenSlate, it is common for hackers and other criminals to identify those companies believed to have weak data security systems or vulnerabilities in their networks.
Once a cybercriminal gains access to a computer network, they can then access and remove any data stored on the compromised servers. While in most cases a company experiencing a data breach can identify which files were accessible, there may be no way for the company to tell which files the hacker actually accessed or whether they removed any data.
While the fact that your information was compromised in a data breach does not necessarily mean it will be used for criminal purposes, being the victim of a data breach puts your sensitive data in the hands of an unauthorized person. As a result, you are at an increased risk of identity theft and other frauds, and criminal use of your information is a possibility that should not be ignored.
Given this reality, individuals who receive a GreenSlate data breach notification should take the situation seriously and remain vigilant in checking for any signs of unauthorized activity. Businesses like GreenSlate are responsible for protecting the consumer data in their possession. If evidence emerges that GreenSlate failed to adequately protect your sensitive information, you may be eligible for financial compensation through a data breach lawsuit.
When customers decided to do business with GreenSlate, they assumed that the company would take their privacy concerns seriously. And it goes without saying that consumers would think twice before giving a company access to their information if they knew it wasn’t going to be secure. Thus, data breaches such as this one raise questions about the adequacy of a company’s data security system.
When a business, government entity, non-profit organization, school, or any other organization accepts and stores consumer data, it also accepts a legal obligation to ensure this information remains private. The United States data breach laws allow consumers to pursue civil data breach claims against organizations that fail to protect their information.
Of course, given the recency of the GreenSlate data breach, the investigation into the incident is still in its early stages. And, as of right now, there is not yet any evidence suggesting GreenSlate is legally responsible for the breach. However, that could change as additional information about the breach and its causes is revealed.
If you have questions about your ability to bring a data breach class action lawsuit against GreenSlate, reach out to a data breach attorney as soon as possible.
If GreenSlate sends you a data breach notification letter, you are among those whose information was compromised in the recent breach. While this isn’t a time to panic, the situation warrants your attention. Below are a few important steps you can take to protect yourself from identity theft and other fraudulent activity:
Identify What Information Was Compromised: The first thing to do after learning of a data breach is to carefully review the data breach letter sent. The letter will tell you what information of yours was accessible to the unauthorized party. Be sure to make a copy of the letter and keep it for your records. If you have trouble understanding the letter or what steps you can take to protect yourself, a data breach lawyer can help.
Limit Future Access to Your Accounts: Once you determine what information of yours was affected by the breach, the safest play is to assume that the hacker orchestrating the attack stole your data. While this may not be the case, it’s better to be safe than sorry. To prevent future access to your accounts, you should change all passwords and security questions for any online account. This includes online banking accounts, credit card accounts, online shopping accounts, and any other account containing your personal information. You should also consider changing your social media account passwords and setting up multi-factor authentication where it is available.
Protect Your Credit and Your Financial Accounts: After a data breach, companies often provide affected parties with free credit monitoring services. Signing up for the free credit monitoring offers some significant protections and doesn’t impact any of your rights to pursue a data breach lawsuit against the company if it turns out they were legally responsible for the breach. You should contact a credit bureau to request a copy of your credit report—even if you do not notice any signs of fraud or unauthorized activity. Adding a fraud alert to your account will provide you with additional protection.
Consider Implementing a Credit Freeze: A credit freeze prevents anyone from accessing your credit report. Credit freezes are free and stay in effect until you remove them. Once a credit freeze is in place, you can temporarily lift the freeze if you need to apply for any type of credit. While placing a credit freeze on your accounts may seem like overkill, given the risks involved, it’s justified. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center (“ITRC”), placing a credit freeze on your account is the “single most effective way to prevent a new credit/financial account from being opened.” However, just 3% of data breach victims place a freeze on their accounts.
Regularly Monitor Your Credit Report and Financial Accounts: Protecting yourself in the wake of a data breach requires an ongoing effort on your part. You should regularly check your credit report and all financial account statements, looking for any signs of unauthorized activity or fraud. You should also call your banks and credit card companies to report the fact that your information was compromised in a data breach.
Below is the text from the data breach notification sent out by GreenSlate:
Dear [Consumer],
We are writing to share with you some important information regarding a recent incident involving your personal information.
What Happened?
On December 22, 2021, GreenSlate’s security team detected that between December 10 and December 15, 2021, a now-former employee in Canada downloaded scanned paperwork and certain electronic documents containing some of our clients’ employees’ personal information. On December 23, 2021, we retained leading firms to investigate in coordination with the authorities. On that same date we contacted the FBI, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the Toronto Police Service.
The individual stole the scanned paperwork and electronic documents while they were an employee. GreenSlate’s background check on the employee did not indicate any criminal background. Importantly, the GreenSlate application was not hacked or otherwise compromised. GreenSlate systems undergo external audits and penetration testing for independent assurance of its control environment.
The Toronto Police Service has been actively pursuing an investigation and executing search warrants. On March 1, 2022, TPS arrested the suspected criminal, and GreenSlate is now able to provide notice of this incident without interfering with the law enforcement investigation.
What Information Was Involved?
The affected individuals’ personal information varied by document but may have included your name, date of birth, Social Security Number, Social Insurance Number, work authorization papers, and direct deposit bank account information.
What We Are Doing
To help protect your information, GreenSlate has arranged to provide you with identity monitoring services for 24 months provided by Kroll at no cost to you. We are making this free identity monitoring available to you out of an abundance of caution in case you find it useful, but we do not intend this provision of identity monitoring services to suggest that you face any substantial risk of harm.
What You Can Do
It is always advisable that individuals regularly review their financial accounts and report any suspicious or unrecognized activity immediately. The enclosed “Identity Theft Information” provides further information about steps that individuals can take. Federal consumer protection agencies recommend that you remain vigilant for the next 12 to 24 months and that you report any suspected incidents of fraud to the relevant financial institution.
We encourage you to take advantage of the complimentary identity monitoring services we are offering. You should in particular consider whether you wish to request a credit freeze.
We regret this incident and any inconvenience to you. If we can be of help in any way, please contact our dedicated agents at 1-855-541-3575, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Central Time, excluding major U.S. holidays. Please have your membership number ready.
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DISCLAIMER: Because of the generality of this update, the information provided herein may not be applicable in all situations and should not be acted upon without specific legal advice based on particular situations.
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