On November 3, 2023, Perry Johnson & Associates (“PJ&A”) filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of California after discovering that an unauthorized party was able to access files stored on the company’s computer network. In this notice, PJ&A explains that the incident resulted in an unauthorized party being able to access consumers’ sensitive information, which includes their names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, addresses, medical record numbers, hospital account numbers, admission diagnoses, and dates and times of service. Upon completing its investigation, PJ&A began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals whose information was affected by the recent data security incident.
If you are one of the more than 8.9 million people who received a data breach notification from Perry Johnson & Associates, it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. A data breach lawyer can help you learn more about how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft, as well as discuss your legal options following the PJ&A data breach. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.
What Caused the Data Breach Affecting PJ&A?
The PJ&A data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, PJ&A’s filing with the Attorney General of California provides some important information on what led up to the breach. According to this source, on May 2, 2023, PJ&A learned of a potential data security incident that may have impacted a portion of the company’s computer network.
In response, PJ&A launched an investigation with the help of outside cybersecurity experts. On May 22, 2023, PJ&A initially determined that an unauthorized party had gained access to the company’s IT network; however, further investigation was needed to determine the extent of the breach.
Eventually, the PJ&A investigation determined that the company’s IT network was accessed by an unauthorized party between March 27, 2023 and May 2, 2023, and that certain consumers’ information was accessed between April 7, 2023 and April 19, 2023.
After learning that sensitive consumer data was accessible to an unauthorized party, PJ&A reviewed the compromised files to determine what information was leaked and which consumers were impacted. While the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your name, Social Security number, date of birth, address, medical record number, hospital account number, admission diagnosis, and dates and times of service.
While PJ&A’s filing with the Attorney General of California did not list the number of victims, the company subsequently filed notice with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights, confirming that more than 8.9 million people’s information was exposed.
On November 3, 2023, PJ&A sent out data breach letters to anyone who was affected by the recent data security incident. These letters should provide victims with a list of what information belonging to them was compromised.
More Information About Perry Johnson & Associates
Perry Johnson & Associates is a transcription company based out of Henderson, Nevada. PJ&A operates primarily in the medical, legal and government industries but serves clients across other industries as well. Since 2015, PJ&A has been the largest privately held transcription company in the United States. PJ&A employs more than 77 people and generates approximately $16 million in annual revenue.