Breach, Threat Management, Data Security

Laptop stolen from home of Welk Resorts employee, breach letters go out

A notice of a possible data breach was sent on Nov. 4 to employees of Welk Resorts, which operates five vacation ownership properties in California, Missouri and Baja, Mexico. 

The company determined that on Oct. 5 an employee's company laptop was stolen from their home. The investigation is ongoing but the letter, signed by Tracy Ward, the company's VP of human resources, admitted that employee information – including name, Social Security number, address, certain benefit plan participation information, and date of birth – "may have been stored on the stolen laptop."

Although no foul play has yet been observed, the message was sent out, in English and Spanish, "in an abundance of caution," Ward wrote.

Further, the company stated that it has no evidence to suggest that the personal information on the stolen laptop has yet been accessed, nor has there yet been any "attempted or actual misuse of data stored on the laptop."

The incident has been reported to local police and state regulators.

A help line was set up to assist those affected. Employees also are being offered credit monitoring services at no cost.

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