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New Century Ophthalmology

Notice of Data Incident

Download the full notice (PDF)

What Happened?

On August 18, 2026, we became aware of unauthorized activity within certain systems of our practice. We immediately responded and took numerous steps to contain any suspicious activity, including changing passwords, terminating any unauthorized access, and enhancing the monitoring capabilities on each workstation within our offices. We also initiated an investigation with experienced data security and privacy professionals, which identified that the unauthorized activity included copying of certain data from our systems. Although our investigation could not rule out that files containing certain patient information were among the data acquired by the unauthorized actor, we have no evidence that information has been further disclosed or misused for identity theft or fraud in connection with this incident.

What Information Was Involved?

We determined that the following types of information may have been impacted as a result of this incident: name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, driver's license number, medical information including diagnosis and medications, and health insurance information. Note that this describes general categories of information that may be present within the impacted environment during the incident and includes categories that may not be relevant to each individual whose information may have been present.

What We Are Doing.

We take this incident and the safety of the individuals we serve very seriously. Upon becoming aware of the incident, we took immediate action to contain the situation and worked closely with data security and privacy professionals. We also notified federal law enforcement and worked alongside them to address the unauthorized activity. We are committed to learning from this situation to further strengthen our existing, significant safeguards.

What Can Impacted Individuals Do?

We encourage individuals to remain attentive against potential identity theft and fraud, regularly monitor reports, review account statements, and report any suspicious activity to the relevant institutions. Presented below are steps that individuals can take to protect their personal information.

Steps You Can Take to Protect Your Personal Information

Under U.S. law, individuals are entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus. To obtain a free credit report, individuals may visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228.

Alternatively, affected individuals can contact the three major credit reporting bureaus directly at the addresses below:

Free Credit Report.

It is recommended that you remain vigilant for incidents of fraud and identity theft by reviewing account statements and monitoring your credit report for unauthorized activity. You may obtain a copy of your credit report, free of charge, once every 12 months from each of the three nationwide credit reporting agencies.

To order your annual free credit report please visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call toll free at 1-877-322-8228.

You can also order your annual free credit report by mailing a completed Annual Credit Report Request Form (available from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's ("FTC") website at www.consumer.ftc.gov) to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.

Fraud Alert.

You may place a fraud alert in your file by calling one of the three nationwide credit reporting agencies above. A fraud alert tells creditors to follow certain procedures, including contacting you before they open any new accounts or change your existing accounts. For that reason, placing a fraud alert can protect you, but also may delay you when you seek to obtain credit.

Security Freeze.

You may obtain a security freeze on your credit report, free of charge, to protect your privacy and ensure that credit is not granted in your name without your knowledge. You may also submit a declaration of removal to remove information placed in your credit report as a result of being a victim of identity theft pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

The security freeze will prohibit a consumer reporting agency from releasing any information in your credit report without your express authorization or approval. The security freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in your name without your consent. When you place a security freeze on your credit report, you will be provided with a personal identification number, password, or similar device to use if you choose to remove the freeze on your credit report or to temporarily authorize the release of your credit report to a specific party or parties or for a specific period of time after the freeze is in place.

To place a security freeze on your credit report, you may be able to use an online process, an automated telephone line, or a written request to any of the three credit reporting agencies listed above. The following information must be included when requesting a security freeze (note that if you are requesting a credit report for your spouse, this information must be provided for him/her as well): (i) full name, with middle initial and any suffixes; (ii) Social Security number; (iii) date of birth; (iv) current address and any previous addresses for the past five years; and (v) any applicable incident report or complaint with a law enforcement agency or the Department of Motor Vehicles. The request must also include a copy of a government-issued identification card and a copy of a recent utility bill or bank or insurance statement. It is essential that each copy be legible, and display your name, current mailing address, and the date of issue.

FTC and State Attorneys' General Offices.

If you believe you are the victim of identity theft or have reason to believe your personal information has been misused, you should immediately contact the FTC and/or the Attorney General's office in your home state. You may also contact these agencies for information on how to prevent or avoid identity theft.

You may contact the Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Response Center, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580, www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/, 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338).

Reporting of identity theft and obtaining a police report.

You have the right to obtain any police report filed in the United States in regard to this incident. If you are the victim of fraud or identity theft, you also have the right to file a police report.

Protecting Medical Information.

If you are concerned about protecting your medical information, the following practices can provide additional safeguards to protect against medical identity theft.

Ask your insurance company for a current year-to-date report of all services paid for you as a beneficiary. Follow up with your insurance company or the care provider for any items you do not recognize.

A full copy of this notice is available to download as a PDF.