Paychex Data Breach Exposes Social Security Numbers

The March 2024 Data Breach

On March 22, 2024, Paychex, Inc. experienced a significant data breach. The incident occurred during a routine exchange of information with the State of California concerning unclaimed property. Regrettably, the list of unclaimed property, which included personal data, was inadvertently disclosed to an unauthorized individual. This breach was discovered on April 30, 2024, prompting immediate action from Paychex to mitigate the situation.

Information Exposed

• Full name
• Social Security number

Paychex, Inc.'s Response

In response to the breach, Paychex, Inc. has taken several steps to address the situation and assist those affected. The company is offering one year of complimentary credit monitoring, CyberScan monitoring, and complete recovery services through IDX. These services are designed to help prevent identity theft and provide assistance in recovering from any potential identity theft that may occur as a result of this breach. To access these services, affected individuals are encouraged to enroll using the provided IDX enrollment link.

Steps to Take if You Are Affected

Given the nature of the data exposed, it is crucial for those affected to remain vigilant and proactive in monitoring their financial accounts and personal information. Here are several steps you can take:

1. Enroll in the offered IDX services to ensure continuous monitoring of your credit and personal information.
2. Regularly review your financial statements and credit reports for any unauthorized activity. You can obtain a free credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies once every 12 months at AnnualCreditReport.com.
3. Consider placing a fraud alert on your credit reports, which warns creditors to verify your identity before opening new accounts in your name. This can be done by contacting any one of the major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion.
4. For added security, think about placing a security freeze on your credit files, which prevents credit, loans, and services from being approved in your name without your consent.

About Paychex, Inc.

Paychex, Inc. is a provider of integrated human capital management solutions for payroll, benefits, human resources, and insurance services. Established in 1971, Paychex serves approximately 740,000 business clients in the U.S. and Europe.

For further details about this data breach, you can visit the disclosure on the California Attorney General's website.