Baltimore city employees’ personal data stolen

Baltimore city government is the latest institution to be targeted for data theft.

An unknown party stole Baltimore city employees’ personal information, and used it to file fraudulent tax returns, according to city officials.
Employees, former employees and retirees were informed in an email sent to city employees on Thursday night, which advised to “pay close attention to any unusual activities involving your credit or finances.”
The theft was discovered when “a few dozen” employees found fraudulent tax returns were filed using their names and information, said Howard Libit, spokesman for Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.
“Employees have discovered this when, in the course of attempting to file electronically, their returns were rejected as having already been filed,” the email states.
The city and law enforcement are investigating how many employees were affected, Libit said. The email states the city will “secure a national, reputable vendor to provide monitoring services for each person who is determined to be affected.”
Earlier this month, MedStar Health, which runs Union Memorial Hospital, was targeted in a ransomware attack.