IDENtity theft Letter offering protection is legit, BBB says

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Better Business Bureau confirms the legitimacy of a letter distributed by Kroll, an identity-theft-protection company, in response to the data breach of Community Health Systems.

Recipients of the letter were offered one-year protection against identity theft free of charge.

“The letter is real; the offer is real,” said Melissa Ames, vice president of BBB services.

Ames said the BBB had received numerous calls from recipients of letters with concerns about the security company.

CHS had a data breach from external criminal cyber-attack that stole personal information, Social Security numbers and dates of birth. No medical or credit-card information was taken.

Individuals whose information was taken received a letter from Kroll, which is based in New York. Community Health Systems Professional Services Corp., which is based in Tennessee, owns Northside Medical Center, Trumbull Memorial Hospital and Hillside Rehabilitation Center.