IBEW Local 697 Data Breach Exposes Social Security Numbers

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 697, a labor union representing electricians and related workers in Lake and Newton counties, Indiana, experienced a data breach. On Aug. 1, 2025, the union detected problematic activity within its network. An investigation determined that an unauthorized actor may have been accessed or acquired.

A review took place and on Oct. 20, 2025 revealed that the cybersecurity incident compromised personally identifiable information (PII). Exposed information included names and Social Security numbers. The total number of affected individuals has not been released, but may have included both current and former members.

Local 697 began notifying impacted individuals by mail on Nov. 3, 2025. The breach was disclosed to the New Hampshire Attorney General on Nov 4, 2025. Social Security numbers are highly sensitive and can be used for identity theft or fraud, which makes this cyberattack significant.

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 697's response

In response to the data breach, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 697 secured its network and engaged incident response experts. In addition to required state and federal disclosures, the union is offering affected individuals free IDX identity theft protection services, which includes credit and CyberScan monitoring, up to $1,000,000 in identity theft insurance and recovery services.

If you receive a data breach notice from International Brotherhood Electrical Workers Local 697, you may want to:

• Sign up for the free IDX identity theft protection services, offered by the union.
• Monitor your credit reports and financial accounts for any unusual activity.
• Be alert for phishing emails or phone calls that may use your exposed information.
• Consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze with major credit bureaus.