NOTICE OF DATA SECURITY INCIDENT
Harvard Community Unit School District 50 (“Harvard CUSD 50”) is providing notice of an incident that may have impacted the privacy of information related to certain individuals. While Harvard CUSD 50 is unaware of any actual or attempted misuse of information in relation to the incident, it is providing affected individuals with information about the incident and steps individuals may take to help protect their information should they wish to do so.
What Happened? On June 11, 2024, Harvard CUSD 50 was alerted to suspicious activity in an employee’s email account. Harvard CUSD 50 immediately launched an investigation to determine the nature and scope of the activity. The investigation determined that an unauthorized actor gained access to certain files within Harvard CUSD 50’s network between June 3, 2024, and July 6, 2024. Following the investigation, Harvard CUSD 50 undertook a detailed review of all the files potentially impacted to determine the information present in these files and to whom it was related. On April 3, 2025, Harvard CUSD 50 finalized this review and determined that information related to certain individuals could be affected.
What Information Was Involved? Harvard CUSD 50 determined the type of information potentially impacted by this incident varies by individual, but may include name, address, Social Security number, driver’s license number, state issued identification number, financial account information, payment card information, medical information, and health insurance information.
What We Are Doing. Harvard CUSD 50 takes the confidentiality, privacy, and security of information in its care very seriously. Upon discovering the incident, Harvard CUSD 50 conducted a diligent investigation to confirm the full nature and scope of the incident, took prompt steps to ensure the security of its environment, and conducted a comprehensive review of the information potentially affected.
Harvard CUSD 50 is also mailing notification letters to affected individuals for whom it has a postal address. If you did not receive a notice letter but would like to inquire as to whether you were impacted, you can call the number below.
What You Can Do. Harvard CUSD 50 encourages individuals to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing their account statements and credit reports for any unauthorized or suspicious activity. Individuals can also review the “Steps Individuals Can Take to Help Protect Personal Information” below for further guidance.
For More Information. We understand you may have questions about the incident that are not addressed in this notice. If you have questions, please call 1-800-939-4170 Monday through Friday from 8 am to 8 pm CT, excluding holidays. You may also write to Harvard CUSD 50 at 401 N. Division Street, Harvard, IL, 60033.
STEPS INDIVIDUALS CAN TAKE TO HELP PROTECT PERSONAL INFORMATION
Monitor Your Accounts
Under U.S. law, a consumer is entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. To order a free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. Consumers may also directly contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below to request a free copy of their credit report.
Consumers have the right to place an initial or extended “fraud alert” on a credit file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumer’s credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumer’s credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumer’s identity before extending new credit. If consumers are the victim of identity theft, they are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years. Should consumers wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any of the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below.
As an alternative to a fraud alert, consumers have the right to place a “credit freeze” on a credit report, which will prohibit a credit bureau from releasing information in the credit report without the consumer’s express authorization. The credit freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in a consumer’s name without consent. However, consumers should be aware that using a credit freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in their credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application they make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit. Pursuant to federal law, consumers cannot be charged to place or lift a credit freeze on their credit report.
To request a credit freeze, individuals may need to provide some or all of the following information:
1. Full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.);
2. Social Security number;
3. Date of birth;
4. Addresses for the prior two to five years;
5. Proof of current address, such as a current utility bill or telephone bill;
6. A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver’s license or ID card,
etc.); and
7. A copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft if they are a victim of identity theft.
Should consumers wish to place a credit freeze or fraud alert, please contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below:
Additional Information
Consumers may further educate themselves regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, credit freezes, and the steps they can take to protect their personal information by contacting the consumer reporting bureaus, the Federal Trade Commission, or their state attorney general. The Federal Trade Commission may be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20580; www.identitytheft.gov; 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. Consumers can obtain further information on how to file such a complaint by way of the contact information listed above. Consumers have the right to file a police report if they ever experience identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a report with law enforcement for identity theft, consumers will likely need to provide some proof that they have been a victim. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement and the relevant state attorney general. This notice has not been delayed by law enforcement.
Under Massachusetts law, you have the right to obtain any police report filed in regard to this incident. If you are the victim of identity theft, you also have the right to file a police report and obtain a copy of it.
For District of Columbia residents, the District of Columbia Attorney General may be contacted at: 400 6th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001; (202) 442-9828; and oag.dc.gov.
For Maryland residents, the Maryland Attorney General may be contacted at: 200 St. Paul Place, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202; 1-410-576-6300 or 1-888-743-0023; and https://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/. Harvard CUSD 50 is located at 401 N. Division Street, Harvard, IL, 60033.
For New Mexico residents, consumers have rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, such as the right to be told if information in their credit file has been used against them, the right to know what is in their credit file, the right to ask for their credit score, and the right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information. Further, pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the consumer reporting bureaus must correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information; consumer reporting agencies may not report outdated negative information; access to consumers’ files is limited; consumers must give consent for credit reports to be provided to employers; consumers may limit “prescreened” offers of credit and insurance based on information in their credit report; and consumers may seek damages from violators. Consumers may have additional rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act not summarized here. Identity theft victims and active-duty military personnel have specific additional rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act. We encourage consumers to review their rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act by visiting www.consumerfinance.gov/f/201504_cfpb_summary_your-rights-under-fcra.pdf, or by writing Consumer Response Center, Room 130-A, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580.
For New York residents, the New York Attorney General may be contacted at: Office of the Attorney General, The Capitol, Albany, NY 12224-0341; 1-800-771-7755; or https://ag.ny.gov. For North Carolina residents, the North Carolina Attorney General may be contacted at: 9001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-9001; 1-877-566-7226 or 1-919-716-6000; and www.ncdoj.gov. Harvard CUSD 50 is located at 401 N. Division Street, Harvard, IL, 60033.