On August 3, 2021, a physical break-in occurred at a Merced City School District vendor’s location
October 21, 2021
Dear
We want to inform you about a recent event involving your information.
What happened?
On August 3, 2021, a physical break-in occurred at a Merced City School District vendor’s location. The vendor, known as The
Foundation for Medical Care of Merced, (the “Foundation”), previously provided all third party administration services for the
school district’s medical and dental plans, and currently provides member claims services for the school district’s medical plans.
Such services included the processing and payment of medical and dental claims that are submitted from health care providers
or members to the Foundation. The unknown intruder entered the facility by punching a hole in the internal wall from an adjacent
office suite. The intruder stole several items, including an external back up drive that was used to scan the paper claims that
may have included information about you. The Foundation reported this incident to the City of Merced Police Department
immediately.
What information was involved?
Information included on a claim: First and last name, Healthcare Identification number, address, date of birth, Provider Name,
procedure and diagnosis code and claim charges.
What are we doing?
We’ve made every effort to find out what caused this issue and are taking steps to reduce the risk of this happening again. We’re
committed to protecting the privacy and security of your protected health information (PHI). Foundation has worked closely with
the City of Merced Police, added security to the building, and provided additional layers of physical and data security.
What can you do?
As is the case with your financial and personal records, it is recommended that you closely monitor all medical and healthcare
records to ensure that your identity is not compromised by means of medical information. You should protect your personal
information, check medical bills and statements, and report questionable charges or fraud to your doctors and health plan. In
addition, it is recommended that you consider the services of an identity protection company.
Credit and identity theft monitoring and repair services
To help protect your identity, we are offering a complimentary one-year membership of Experian’s® IdentityWorksSM.
This product provides you with superior identity detection and resolution of identity theft. To activate your membership
and start monitoring your personal information please follow the steps below:
• Ensure that you enroll by: [01/31/2022] (Your code will not work after this date.)
• Visit the Experian IdentityWorks website to enroll: https://www.experianidworks.com/plus
• Provide your activation code: <>
If you have questions about the product, need assistance with identity restoration or would like an alternative to
enrolling in Experian IdentityWorks online, please contact Experian’s customer care team at 1-877-890-9332 by
[09/30/2022]. Be prepared to provide engagement number [B019232] as proof of eligibility for the identity restoration
services by Experian.
of Merced County
Additional details regarding your 12-MONTH EXPERIAN IDENTITYWORKS Membership:
A credit card is not required for enrollment in Experian IdentityWorks.
You can contact Experian immediately regarding any fraud issues, and have access to the following features once you
enroll in Experian IdentityWorks:
§ Experian credit report at signup: See what information is associated with your credit file. Daily credit reports
are available for online members only.*
§ Credit Monitoring: Actively monitors Experian, Equifax, and Transunion files for indicators of fraud.
§ Internet Surveillance: Technology searches the web, chat rooms & bulletin boards 24/7 to identify trading or
selling of your personal information on the Dark Web.
§ Identity Restoration: Identity Restoration specialists are immediately available to help you address credit and
non-credit related fraud.
§ Experian IdentityWorks ExtendCARETM: You receive the same high-level of Identity Restoration support even
after your Experian IdentityWorks membership has expired.
§ Up to $1 Million Identity Theft Insurance**: Provides coverage for certain costs and unauthorized electronic
fund transfers.
We have no reason to believe that someone will misuse your health care data because of what happened. But if you notice
anything in your health records or explanation of benefits (EOBs) that doesn’t look right, please tell us right away.
For more information
We regret this happened and we want you to know we’re here for you. If you have questions or need our help, just call the
Foundation at 1-888-581-6838.
See the next pages for how to order a copy of your credit report, learn how to prevent identity theft and get help in your
language.
Thank you for your understanding.
Privacy Professional
The Foundation for Medical Care of Merced
* Offline members will be eligible to call for additional reports quarterly after enrolling
** The Identity Theft Insurance is underwritten and administered by American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida, an
Assurant company. Please refer to the actual policies for terms, conditions, and exclusions of coverage. Coverage may not be
available in all jurisdictions.
Other important information
Even if you don’t feel the need to sign up for the credit monitoring service, we suggest that you check statements from your
accounts, and from time to time, get your credit report from one or more of the national credit reporting companies. You may get
a free copy of your credit report in these ways:
• Online at annualcreditreport.com.
• Call 1-877-322-8228.
• Mail an Annual Credit Report Request form (forms are at annualcreditreport.com) to:
Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
You also may get a copy of your credit report from one or more of these three national credit reporting companies:
Equifax
P.O. Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
800-685-1111
equifax.com
Experian
P.O. Box 9532
Allen, TX 75013
888-397-3742
experian.com
Transunion
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19022
800-916-8800
transunion.com
You can learn how to prevent identity theft in these three ways
1. Visit the Federal Trade Commission website at ftc.gov, call 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338) or write to this
address:
Federal Trade Commission
600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20580
2. Contact or visit your state’s regulator website for consumer protection:
In Maryland:
Visit the Maryland Office of the Attorney General website at www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/Pages/IdentityTheft/default.aspx
or call
1-888-743-0023.
Write to this address:
Identify Theft Unit
Maryland Office of the Attorney General
200 St Paul Place
16th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21202
In New York:
Visit the New York Attorney General’s Office website at ag.ny.gov or call 1-800-771-7755.
Write to this address:
Office of the Attorney General
The Capitol
Albany, NY 12224-0341
In North Carolina:
Visit the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office website at www.ncconsumer.org/resources/state/attorney-generals-officeconsumer-protection-division.html or call 1-877-566-7226.
Write to this address:
North Carolina Attorney General’s Office
Consumer Protection Division
9001 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27602
In other states, including Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island:
While this incident may not be the result of reported criminal activity and, unless otherwise noted, no police report was prepared,
victims of identity theft have the right to get a police report from their local law enforcement agency. You may also file a police
report if you believe you were the victim of criminal activity.
In Rhode Island, you may also contact the Rhode Island Attorney General:
Office of the State of Rhode Island Attorney General
150 South Main Street
Providence, RI 02903
401-274-4400
www.riag.ri.gov
In New Mexico:
You have rights under the Fair Credit Reporting and Identity Security Act. Information regarding these rights is available at
ftc.gov.
3. Ask for a credit (security) freeze or fraud alert.
Fraud Alert
A fraud alert is a temporary (90 day) alert that can make it more difficult for someone to get credit in your name. This alert tells
creditors to follow certain procedures to protect you, but may delay you from getting credit. You may place a fraud alert in your
file by calling one of the three national credit reporting companies. When that bureau processes your fraud alert, it will tell the
other two bureaus to place a fraud alert in your file.
Credit (security) freeze
A credit or security freeze is when you ask a credit reporting company to block others from looking at your credit report. This can
makes it harder for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name.
To place a security freeze with one or more of the three national credit reporting companies, please contact the company and
give the information as noted below:
Equifax Security Freeze
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348
1-800-685-1111
Error! Hyperlink reference not
valid.equifax.com/personal/credit-reportservices/
Experian Security Freeze
P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013
1-888-397-3742
experian.com/freeze/center.html
TransUnion LLC
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016
1-888-909-8872
freeze.transunion.com
The following information must be provided when placing a credit freeze:
1. Name (with middle initial)
2. Current address (and if you recently moved, your address history for past two years)
3. Date of birth
4. Social Security number
5. Proof of present address (such as a utility bill, bank or insurance statement)
6. Copy of government issued ID card
Dear
We want to inform you about a recent event involving your information.
What happened?
On August 3, 2021, a physical break-in occurred at a Merced City School District vendor’s location. The vendor, known as The
Foundation for Medical Care of Merced, (the “Foundation”), previously provided all third party administration services for the
school district’s medical and dental plans, and currently provides member claims services for the school district’s medical plans.
Such services included the processing and payment of medical and dental claims that are submitted from health care providers
or members to the Foundation. The unknown intruder entered the facility by punching a hole in the internal wall from an adjacent
office suite. The intruder stole several items, including an external back up drive that was used to scan the paper claims that
may have included information about you. The Foundation reported this incident to the City of Merced Police Department
immediately.
What information was involved?
Information included on a claim: First and last name, Healthcare Identification number, address, date of birth, Provider Name,
procedure and diagnosis code and claim charges.
What are we doing?
We’ve made every effort to find out what caused this issue and are taking steps to reduce the risk of this happening again. We’re
committed to protecting the privacy and security of your protected health information (PHI). Foundation has worked closely with
the City of Merced Police, added security to the building, and provided additional layers of physical and data security.
What can you do?
As is the case with your financial and personal records, it is recommended that you closely monitor all medical and healthcare
records to ensure that your identity is not compromised by means of medical information. You should protect your personal
information, check medical bills and statements, and report questionable charges or fraud to your doctors and health plan. In
addition, it is recommended that you consider the services of an identity protection company.
Credit and identity theft monitoring and repair services
To help protect your identity, we are offering a complimentary one-year membership of Experian’s® IdentityWorksSM.
This product provides you with superior identity detection and resolution of identity theft. To activate your membership
and start monitoring your personal information please follow the steps below:
• Ensure that you enroll by: [01/31/2022] (Your code will not work after this date.)
• Visit the Experian IdentityWorks website to enroll: https://www.experianidworks.com/plus
• Provide your activation code: <>
If you have questions about the product, need assistance with identity restoration or would like an alternative to
enrolling in Experian IdentityWorks online, please contact Experian’s customer care team at 1-877-890-9332 by
[09/30/2022]. Be prepared to provide engagement number [B019232] as proof of eligibility for the identity restoration
services by Experian.
of Merced County
Additional details regarding your 12-MONTH EXPERIAN IDENTITYWORKS Membership:
A credit card is not required for enrollment in Experian IdentityWorks.
You can contact Experian immediately regarding any fraud issues, and have access to the following features once you
enroll in Experian IdentityWorks:
§ Experian credit report at signup: See what information is associated with your credit file. Daily credit reports
are available for online members only.*
§ Credit Monitoring: Actively monitors Experian, Equifax, and Transunion files for indicators of fraud.
§ Internet Surveillance: Technology searches the web, chat rooms & bulletin boards 24/7 to identify trading or
selling of your personal information on the Dark Web.
§ Identity Restoration: Identity Restoration specialists are immediately available to help you address credit and
non-credit related fraud.
§ Experian IdentityWorks ExtendCARETM: You receive the same high-level of Identity Restoration support even
after your Experian IdentityWorks membership has expired.
§ Up to $1 Million Identity Theft Insurance**: Provides coverage for certain costs and unauthorized electronic
fund transfers.
We have no reason to believe that someone will misuse your health care data because of what happened. But if you notice
anything in your health records or explanation of benefits (EOBs) that doesn’t look right, please tell us right away.
For more information
We regret this happened and we want you to know we’re here for you. If you have questions or need our help, just call the
Foundation at 1-888-581-6838.
See the next pages for how to order a copy of your credit report, learn how to prevent identity theft and get help in your
language.
Thank you for your understanding.
Privacy Professional
The Foundation for Medical Care of Merced
* Offline members will be eligible to call for additional reports quarterly after enrolling
** The Identity Theft Insurance is underwritten and administered by American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida, an
Assurant company. Please refer to the actual policies for terms, conditions, and exclusions of coverage. Coverage may not be
available in all jurisdictions.
Other important information
Even if you don’t feel the need to sign up for the credit monitoring service, we suggest that you check statements from your
accounts, and from time to time, get your credit report from one or more of the national credit reporting companies. You may get
a free copy of your credit report in these ways:
• Online at annualcreditreport.com.
• Call 1-877-322-8228.
• Mail an Annual Credit Report Request form (forms are at annualcreditreport.com) to:
Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
You also may get a copy of your credit report from one or more of these three national credit reporting companies:
Equifax
P.O. Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
800-685-1111
equifax.com
Experian
P.O. Box 9532
Allen, TX 75013
888-397-3742
experian.com
Transunion
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19022
800-916-8800
transunion.com
You can learn how to prevent identity theft in these three ways
1. Visit the Federal Trade Commission website at ftc.gov, call 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338) or write to this
address:
Federal Trade Commission
600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20580
2. Contact or visit your state’s regulator website for consumer protection:
In Maryland:
Visit the Maryland Office of the Attorney General website at www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/Pages/IdentityTheft/default.aspx
or call
1-888-743-0023.
Write to this address:
Identify Theft Unit
Maryland Office of the Attorney General
200 St Paul Place
16th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21202
In New York:
Visit the New York Attorney General’s Office website at ag.ny.gov or call 1-800-771-7755.
Write to this address:
Office of the Attorney General
The Capitol
Albany, NY 12224-0341
In North Carolina:
Visit the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office website at www.ncconsumer.org/resources/state/attorney-generals-officeconsumer-protection-division.html or call 1-877-566-7226.
Write to this address:
North Carolina Attorney General’s Office
Consumer Protection Division
9001 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27602
In other states, including Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island:
While this incident may not be the result of reported criminal activity and, unless otherwise noted, no police report was prepared,
victims of identity theft have the right to get a police report from their local law enforcement agency. You may also file a police
report if you believe you were the victim of criminal activity.
In Rhode Island, you may also contact the Rhode Island Attorney General:
Office of the State of Rhode Island Attorney General
150 South Main Street
Providence, RI 02903
401-274-4400
www.riag.ri.gov
In New Mexico:
You have rights under the Fair Credit Reporting and Identity Security Act. Information regarding these rights is available at
ftc.gov.
3. Ask for a credit (security) freeze or fraud alert.
Fraud Alert
A fraud alert is a temporary (90 day) alert that can make it more difficult for someone to get credit in your name. This alert tells
creditors to follow certain procedures to protect you, but may delay you from getting credit. You may place a fraud alert in your
file by calling one of the three national credit reporting companies. When that bureau processes your fraud alert, it will tell the
other two bureaus to place a fraud alert in your file.
Credit (security) freeze
A credit or security freeze is when you ask a credit reporting company to block others from looking at your credit report. This can
makes it harder for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name.
To place a security freeze with one or more of the three national credit reporting companies, please contact the company and
give the information as noted below:
Equifax Security Freeze
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348
1-800-685-1111
Error! Hyperlink reference not
valid.equifax.com/personal/credit-reportservices/
Experian Security Freeze
P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013
1-888-397-3742
experian.com/freeze/center.html
TransUnion LLC
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016
1-888-909-8872
freeze.transunion.com
The following information must be provided when placing a credit freeze:
1. Name (with middle initial)
2. Current address (and if you recently moved, your address history for past two years)
3. Date of birth
4. Social Security number
5. Proof of present address (such as a utility bill, bank or insurance statement)
6. Copy of government issued ID card
