Computer Theft: Tap Monitor to Protect Retirees

By MEREDITH KOLODNER

City officials will offer six months of free protection from a credit-monitoring agency to the 280,000 retirees who are at risk of identity theft after a laptop containing retirees' personal information was stolen.

The computer belonged to a private consultant hired by the Financial Information Services Agency. City officials said the consultant did not violate city policy by removing the sensitive information from a city building.

Password-Protected

"Putting that kind of information on a laptop is discouraged," said City Hall spokesman Jason Post, "but it is allowed if necessary. It requires that the laptop be password-protected." The laptop did require a password, which is needed to access any of the information on the machine.

Not all retirees' information, spread across all five pension programs, was stored on the laptop, but because it is not clear who was put at risk, the city will offer the protection to all retirees.

City officials are not certain what specific information may have been stored on the computer, but it is typical to have individuals' names, addresses, dates of retirement and pension numbers, according to Mr. Post.

Union leaders were concerned about the security breach. "We are following this very closely to see that our retirees are protected," said District Council 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts.

Identity Theft Concern

Retiree organization officials said that the issue was of particular concern since senior citizens were often targets of identity theft. Bill Pinkett, chair of the 250,000-member city Council of Municipal Retiree Organizations, questioned why "sensitive information" was allowed in an "unguarded location." The laptop was stolen from a Manhattan restaurant.

Mr. Pinkett also questioned why a private consultant was performing city work. "This incident serves to emphasize the argument of our unions against privatization of municipal work, which should be done in-house by certified civil servants," he said.

City officials asserted that city workers didn't have the skills needed for the payroll modernization process being performed by the consultant. "This vendor has unique skills and is performing a specialized task for a limited duration," said Mr. Post. "City workers simply don't have the expertise to perform this specialized work."

The city will mail letters to all retirees alerting them to the incident and explaining the credit-monitoring program.