On April 11, 2023, Harding, Shymanski & Company, PSC (“HSC”) filed a notice of data breach with the Montana Attorney General after learning that an employee’s credentials were used to access customer 2021 tax returns, leading to fraudulent 2022 tax returns being filed on behalf of certain patients. Based on the company’s official filing, the incident resulted in an unauthorized party gaining access to consumers’ names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, bank account numbers, routing numbers, and investment or brokerage account information. After confirming that consumer data was leaked, HSC began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals who were impacted by the recent data security incident.

If you used Harding, Shymanski & Company for accounting or tax preparation services, your confidential information may be at risk. Some clients have already reported fraudulent tax returns being filed in their name, and there is no telling what similar harms are awaiting other victims of the breach. To learn more about how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft and what your legal options are in the wake of the Harding, Shymanski & Company data breach, please see our recent piece on the topic here.

What We Know So Far About the Harding, Shymanski & Company Breach

News of the Harding, Shymanski & Company data breach is still fresh; however, what we know at this point comes from the company’s filing with the Montana Attorney General. According to this source, on March 15, 2023, HSC learned that several of the firm’s clients had fraudulent tax returns filed in their name. In response, HSC secured its network, reported the incident to law enforcement, and began working with third-party cybersecurity specialists to investigate what happened and what information was compromised.

Through its investigation, Harding, Shymanski & Company learned that a single user’s credentials were compromised and that the unauthorized party was able to use these credentials to access 2021 tax returns and other files containing sensitive client information.

Upon discovering that sensitive consumer data was made available to an unauthorized party, Harding, Shymanski & Company began to review the affected files to determine what information was compromised and which consumers were impacted. Harding, Shymanski & Company completed this process on March 27, 2023. While the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your name, date of birth, Social Security number, driver’s license number, bank account number, routing number, and investment or brokerage account information.

On April 11, 2023, Harding, Shymanski & Company sent out data breach letters to all individuals whose information was compromised as a result of the recent data security incident.

More Information About Harding, Shymanski & Company, PSC

Founded in 1975, Harding, Shymanski & Company, PSC is an accounting and consulting firm located in Louisville, Kentucky. The firm primarily focuses on serving the needs of clients in the construction, mining, manufacturing, wholesale, retail, transportation, communications, service, and healthcare industries. Harding, Shymanski & Company has two locations in Evansville, Indiana, and Louisville, Kentucky. Harding, Shymanski & Company employs more than 142 people and generates approximately $28 million in annual revenue.