FLOWER MOUND, TEXAS: March 6, 2024 – Orthopedic Associates of Flower Mound PLLC (“Orthopedic Associates”) has learned of a data security incident that may have impacted personal and/or protected health information belonging to certain current and former patients.  Orthopedic Associates has sent notification letters pertaining to this incident to potentially impacted individuals and has provided resources to assist them.

On or around September 8, 2023, Orthopedic Associates identified suspicious activity within its email system.  In response, Orthopedic Associates took immediate steps to secure its email environment and engaged independent cybersecurity experts to conduct an investigation. As a result of this investigation, Orthopedic Associates learned that an unauthorized actor gained access to one of its physician’s email accounts between July 7, 2023 and September 7, 2023 and potentially viewed and / or acquired certain emails. Orthopedic Associates performed a comprehensive review of the potentially affected data, and on January 8, 2024 determined that individuals’ personal and / or protected health information may have been impacted by this incident.  Orthopedic Associates notified potentially impacted individuals of the incident on March 6, 2024, and is providing information about the incident and additional resources on its website. Orthopedic Associates takes the security and privacy of patient information very seriously and has taken steps to prevent a similar event from occurring in the future.

The following information may have been involved in the incident: name, Social Security number, financial account and/or payment card number and medical information.

Orthopedic Associates has established a toll-free call center to answer questions about the incident and to address related concerns.  Call center representatives are available Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time and can be reached at 1-800-939-4170.

The privacy and protection of personal information is a top priority for Orthopedic Associates and we deeply regret any inconvenience this incident may cause.

We are also providing the following information to help those wanting to know more about steps they can take to protect themselves:

What steps can I take to protect my personal information?

• If you detect any suspicious activity on any of your accounts, you should promptly notify the financial institution or company with which the account is maintained. You should also promptly report any fraudulent activity or any suspected incidents of identity theft to proper law enforcement authorities.
• Obtain a copy of your credit report, free of charge, directly from each of the three nationwide credit reporting agencies.  To do so, free of charge once every 12 months, please visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call toll free at 1-877-322-8228. Contact information for the three nationwide credit reporting agencies is listed below.
• Please notify your financial institution immediately of any unauthorized transactions made or new accounts opened in your name.
• You can take steps recommended by the Federal Trade Commission to protect yourself from identity theft. The FTC’s website offers helpful information at www.ftc.gov/idtheft.

What should I do to protect myself from payment card/credit card fraud?

We suggest you review your debit and credit card statements carefully for any unusual activity.  If you see anything you do not understand or that looks suspicious, you should contact the issuer of the debit or credit card immediately.

How do I obtain a copy of my credit report?

You can obtain a copy of your credit report, free of charge, directly from each of the three nationwide credit reporting agencies. To order your credit report, free of charge once every 12 months, please visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call toll free at 1-877-322-8228. Contact information for the three nationwide credit reporting agencies is also included below:

How do I put a fraud alert on my account?

You may want to consider placing a fraud alert on your credit report.  An initial fraud alert is free and will stay on your credit file for at least one year.  The alert informs creditors of possible fraudulent activity within your report and requests that the creditor contact you prior to establishing any accounts in your name.  To place a fraud alert on your credit report, contact any of the three credit reporting agencies identified above. Additional information is available at http://www.annualcreditreport.com.

How do I put a security freeze on my credit reports?

You also have the right to place a security freeze on your credit report. This will prevent new credit from being opened in your name without the use of a PIN number that is issued to you when you initiate the freeze.  A security freeze is designed to prevent potential creditors from accessing your credit report without your consent. As a result, using a security freeze may interfere with or delay your ability to obtain credit. You must separately place a security freeze on your credit file with each credit reporting agency. A security freeze may be placed or lifted free of charge.

You may make that request by certified mail, overnight mail, or regular stamped mail, or by following the instructions found at the websites listed below. The following information must be included when requesting a security freeze (note that if you are making a request for your spouse, this information must be provided for him/her as well): (1) full name, with middle initial and any suffixes; (2) Social Security number; (3) date of birth; (4) current address and any previous addresses for the past five years; and (5) any applicable incident report or complaint with a law enforcement agency or the Registry of Motor Vehicles. The request must also include a copy of a government-issued identification card and a copy of a recent utility bill or bank or insurance statement. It is essential that each copy be legible, display your name and current mailing address, and the date of issue. You may obtain a security freeze by contacting any one or more of the following national consumer reporting agencies:

Additional Free Resources:

You can obtain information from the consumer reporting agencies, the FTC or from your respective state Attorney General about steps you can take toward preventing identity theft.  You may report suspected identity theft to local law enforcement, including to the FTC or to the Attorney General in your state.