On June 14, 2023, the International Chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood (“P.E.O.”) filed a notice of data breach with the Maine Attorney General’s office after learning that a recent ransomware attack resulted in an unauthorized party gaining access to confidential consumer information. 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, home addresses, phone numbers, financial account numbers, and email addresses. After confirming that consumer data was leaked, P.E.O. began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals who were impacted by the recent data security incident.
If you received a data breach notification from the International Chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood, it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. Data breaches involving your Social Security number place you at a significantly increased risk of identity theft and other frauds. However, there are steps you can take to reduce these risks. 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 International Chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood data breach, please see our recent piece on the topic here.
What We Know So Far About the International Chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood Breach
News of the International Chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood data breach is still fresh; however, what we know at this point comes from the company’s filing with the Attorney General of Maine. According to this source, on April 14, 2023, P.E.O. was the target of a criminal ransomware attack that prevented the organization from accessing its computer system. In response, P.E.O. initially worked to bring all affected systems back online so it could resume operations. Then, P.E.O. reported the incident to the FBI and retained cybersecurity experts to assist with the organization’s investigation.
The P.E.O. investigation confirmed that one or more unauthorized parties were able to access files on its IT system that contained confidential consumer information.
Upon discovering that sensitive consumer data was made available to an unauthorized party, the International Chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood began to review the affected files to determine what information was compromised and which consumers were impacted. While the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your name, date of birth, Social Security number, home address, phone number, financial account number, and email address.
On June 14, 2023, the International Chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood sent out data breach letters to all individuals whose information was compromised as a result of the recent data security incident.
More Information About the International Chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood
Founded in 1869, the International Chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood is a non-profit organization based in Des Moines, Iowa. The P.E.O. focuses its efforts on providing educational opportunities for female students worldwide through a variety of different grants, scholarships and other awards. The International Chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood employs more than 31 people and generates approximately $10 million in annual revenue.
