Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What happened? A: A threat actor obtained Copper Valley Telephone’s digital equipment that was no longer in use and extracted outdated data files.
Q: When did the event occur? A: We were made aware of the incident on November 21, 2024.
Q: What kind of information was exposed in this event? A: Personal information including partial and whole Social Security number and capital credit account of some of our members from 2013 and possibly earlier.
Q: Why has it taken so long to notify me? A: Copper Valley Telephone immediately launched an internal investigation into the incident to determine what type of information was obtained, how the information was obtained and who may have obtained it. The investigation included a review of internal security systems to confirm that security procedures already in place were followed. It took several weeks to determine who the individuals that were impacted were and to obtain their current contact information so that they could be notified by mail as required by law. Although this investigation was a time-consuming process, Copper Valley Telephone believed it was necessary to ensure appropriate precautions were taken so as not to risk leakage of the data beyond the limited exposure believed to have occurred.
Q: What is Copper Valley Telephone doing in response to the event? A: Copper Valley Telephone has strengthened its information protections, taken actions to reduce data exposure and continues to monitor and investigate the situation carefully.
Q: What is Copper Valley Telephone doing to prevent similar events from happening in the future? A: Copper Valley Telephone has examined and analyzed existing procedures and systems to ensure appropriate security measures are reinforced and strengthened.
Q: What services am I being offered? A: Your identity monitoring services include: Credit Monitoring, Fraud Consultation, and Identity Theft Restoration.
Q: Who is Kroll? I thought my information was being held by Copper Valley Telephone. A: Kroll has been hired by Copper Valley Telephone to provide you with protective and remedial services following the incident.
Q: Why do I have to provide you with my Social Security number for credit monitoring? A: Your Social Security number is your unique identifier with the credit bureaus, and Kroll needs this information to provide you with credit monitoring services.
Q: I received a letter in the mail. Is this fraudulent, a scam or a real incident? A: Federal and state laws require that we notify you by mail. We can assure you that this incident did occur and thus we are offering the support identified within the notification letter. We would encourage you to take advantage of the identity monitoring services provided and call us at the number noted within the letter if you have further questions or concerns. [Note for the call center: if the caller persists in questioning the validity of the letter, please take down their name and phone number, and add to the escalation tracker].
Q: What should I do if my credit is compromised or there is fraudulent activity? A: Copper Valley Telephone has no knowledge that information has been misused in any way. However, if you notice suspicious activity in your financial records, you should report it immediately to your financial institution or issuing bank. Please review your notice letter for more information on placing credit freezes with consumer reporting agencies, monitoring your credit reports, and notifying police or regulators.
Q: How do I place a free security freeze? A: You may place a security freeze through each of the consumer reporting agencies’ websites or over the phone, using the contact information described in your letter.