Canadian teachers are Potential Identity Theft Victims after Laptops Stolen
Nearly 10,000 Canadian teachers may be identity theft victims at risk of having their personal information compromised and potentially in the possession of identity thieves following the theft of three unencrypted laptops containing the data.
According to the Canadian Broadcasting Company, the situation began on December 3, 2009 when three computers were stolen from the Waterloo, Ontario offices of the Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan.
Among the data that was stored unprotected on the laptops were the names and personal information for 8,600 teachers who work in elementary schools for the Toronto District School Board in Canada.
While the Toronto Star reported that police initially thought of the crime as nothing more than a âsmash and grabâ crime, the state of affairs grew more complicated once it was discovered that the personal data had not been protected or encrypted and would therefore be easier for a thief to access.
According to Ken Anderson, the assistant privacy commissioner for Ontario, identity thieves have made something of a business out of stealing electronics from victims that may have useful unprotected personal information stored on them.
"There are actually professional identity theft rings now that are looking for victimâs laptops, BlackBerrys [and] other portable devices where they can get the unprotected personal information," Anderson told the CBC. "They strip it out and it can be used in many ways."
After learning of the breach, OTIP notified all of its customers who may have been victims of the identity theft, while also paying for a fraud solution company offering credit monitoring in the event of a breach and to meet with teachers and educate them on how to detect and report an identity theft if it occurs, the Star reported.
OTIP spokesperson Julie Millard said that no suspicious activities had yet occurred with any of the unprotected stolen personal information, and added that steps were being taken to ensure a similar theft never happens again.
"Because of whatâs happened we're working faster to encrypt and protect all personal information stored on our communication devices by March - laptops, BlackBerries, even USB keys," Millard told the Star. "Weâre committed to improving security and ensuring this sort of thing never happens again."
