Matt Dotray reports that Texas residents who filed a Section 8 application with the Lubbock Housing Authority for rent assistance may have had their names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and estimated income exposed on the LHA’s web site when the wrong (unredacted) file was uploaded on December 23, instead of the redacted-SSN one. The file remained online until someone noticed the problem and reported it on December 29.
Approximately 1,100 people were listed on the spreadsheet, and 650 have signed up for free credit monitoring the LHA arranged for them.
One person subsequently reported that her Social Security check had been re-routed to an account in Florida that she had not set up.
Read about the incident on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.
Yes, this was one of those avoidable – and regrettable – human error breaches, but I think you’ll be favorably impressed with the LHA’s response. Although I do not see any notice on their web site, which might be a logical thing to do as applicants go to the site to check their status/waitlist, they reached out via phone calls and mail and it sounds like they are really trying to help those affected protect themselves.