Take free monitoring, officials urge those affected by RITA date breach

YOUNGSTOWN

Officials of Mahoning Valley cities whose income taxes are collected by the Regional Income Tax Agency of Ohio urge anyone who may have been affected by RITA’s recently announced potential data breach to take advantage of that agency’s offer of free credit monitoring and identity protection services for a year.

“It’s in their best interest,” said Campbell city Finance Director Michael Evanson.

So far, Evanson said he knows of only one Campbell city income taxpayer who has received a letter from RITA saying that taxpayer’s personal information may have been breached.

“They should take it,” said Youngstown Finance Director Dave Bozanich, urging affected taxpayers to take advantage of the monitoring offer. “It’s good to have and it’s a free service for people who should be somewhat concerned.”

In Girard, where there are 6,000 city income taxpayers, Mayor James Melfi said he did not yet know if any of his city’s taxpayers’ information has been breached.

Read more about the matter in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.