Customers' Info Stolen From Blue Cross Office

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - One of Tennessee's largest holders of personal information confirms that an October theft from a Chattanooga office affects about 2 million of its clients.

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Blue Cross Blue Shield said 68 computer hard drives that contained Social Security numbers and other sensitive information were taken from the office.

When the incident occurred Oct. 2, the company told the public it didn't think there was anything personal on the hard drives, and, if there were, it would be hard to extract.

The company is now sending out a letter to group administrators and brokers who sell Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee insurance.

The letter states:

"We have confirmed that the hard drives contained encoded data recordings and certain protected health information. They may have included the member's name and ID number. It may have included the member's date of birth or Social Security Number."

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee declined Channel 4's request for an interview Monday.

It said the letter that Channel 4 obtained contains the latest information on the security breach, and it intends to pass it on to all of its members later this week.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee is making some promises in the aftermath of the theft by:

• Sending written notices to members identified as being affected by the data breach
• Providing members whose Social Security numbers are at risk with credit monitoring for a 12-month period
• Obtaining an independent assessment of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee's data and facility security

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