As your mayor, it's my responsibility to keep you informed on the actions of City government. Recently, a City employee with access to personal information was arrested for her use of that information to obtain fraudulent credit. The employee had access to confidential information in the City's Water Department's computer system. At this time, the San Diego Police Department believes that her City-related identity theft is limited to four victims, all of whom have been notified.

I am personally outraged that this individual violated the trust you placed in us by sharing confidential information with the City of San Diego. We are taking immediate corrective action to ensure this can't happen again. The danger here is not what happened as a result of the actions of this low level employee; it's what could have happened. That's the danger and that's what I am now addressing. No one should be able to access our systems.

Read below to see what you can and should do to protect your credit. I will keep you posted on this important issue.

What is the City doing to make sure this never happens again?

I have immediately directed City managers to put controls in place so that this can never happen again.

On my orders, personal identifying information such as Social Security numbers and drivers license numbers on the Water Department computer system, have been blocked to all employees.

Additionally, we are conducting a top-down review to make sure that consumer data is protected throughout City government.

If you are one of our water customers, you will receive notice of this security breach by mail with detailed information on how to protect your credit.

What steps should I take to protect my credit?

There are two steps consumers can take:

1. Place a fraud alert on their credit file. A fraud alert reduces consumers' risk against the possibility of an identify thief opening accounts in their name. Consumers can report potential identity theft by contacting the three major credit reporting bureaus through their automated telephone systems. By calling all three bureaus, consumers will be able to flag their files for 90 days. Once an alert has been placed, consumers will be sent information on how to get a free copy of their credit reports from all three bureaus. As a possible victim of identity theft, consumers will not be charged for these copies.
   
   Consumers also need to be aware that identity theft thieves sometimes hold for the information for 90 days or more before using it, assuming a consumer will believe the danger has passed and will stop monitoring their credit. Therefore, consumers must remain vigilant and make routine credit checks a part of their personal financial programs.
   
   Contact Information for the three major credit bureaus:
   TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289, www.transunion.com
   Experian: 1-888-397-3742, www.experian.com
   Equifax: 1-800-525-6285, www.equifax.com
   
   (The City has informed the three bureaus to anticipate requests for fraud alerts.)
   
   
2. In addition, consumers should check their credit reports at least once a year. January is an ideal time to develop a habit of checking credit reports. The law allows consumers to order a free annual credit report from each of the three credit bureaus - Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
   
   Ordering one report every four months is a cheap and easy way to monitor credit reports and detect signs of identity theft. Consumers should look for unfamiliar accounts or activity. Each credit bureau will have slightly different information so if consumers are considering making a major purchase, such as a car, house or school loan, it is a good idea to review all three reports at one time rather than every four months.
   
   Consumers can order their free credit report by calling 1-877-322-8228.

Will the City make a resource available to consumers immediately?

Yes. Although we believe that the City-related identity theft is limited to four victims, all of whom have been contacted, consumers with questions can reach the Water Department at 619-515-3500, Monday through Friday from 7:30am to 5:00pm. Alternatively, consumers can access similar information on the web at: www.sandiego.gov

What online resources might be helpful to consumers?

There are at least three excellent online resources for consumers interested in further information on identity theft:

Federal Trade Commission: www.consumer.gov/idtheft
CA Office of Privacy Protection: www.privacy.ca.gov
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse:www.privacyrights.org/identity.htm
Identity Theft Resource Center: www.idtheftcenter.org