Have you stayed at a Radisson since last November?

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Randall <rvh40 () insightbb com>
Date: August 19, 2009 2:16:40 PM EDT
To: David Farber <dave () farber net>, Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne () warpspeed com 
>, johnmacsgroup () yahoogroups com
Subject: Have you stayed at a Radisson since last November?

http://www.radisson.com/openletter/openletter-faq.html

What happened?  When did it happen?
Between November 2008 and May 2009, the computer systems of some  
Radisson® hotels in the U.S. and Canada were accessed without  
authorization.  This unauthorized access was in violation of both  
civil and criminal laws.  Radisson has been coordinating with federal  
law enforcement to assist in their investigation of this incident.

Why didn't you notify me sooner?
Working closely with law enforcement and forensic investigators, it  
has taken some time to analyze the origins and extent of the  
unauthorized access.

What specific types of my personal information were involved?
In general, the accessed computer systems contained guest information  
such as the name printed on a credit or debit card, the number on a  
credit or debit card, and the expiration date on the card.  We do not  
know, however, whether your particular name, credit or debit card  
number, or card expiration date were in fact was accessed or taken.   
The forensic investigation is still underway.

Will my personal information be safe if I stay at a Radisson® hotel?
Radisson deeply values your privacy, and has implemented additional  
security measures designed to prevent a recurrence of such an attack  
and to protect guest privacy.  The company also is working closely  
with major credit card suppliers and federal law enforcement to ensure  
the incident is properly addressed.

I was planning to stay at the Radisson® hotel in [particular  
location].  Was that hotel affected by the data security breach?
Since the investigation is still on-going and sensitive, we are not  
able to comment on particular properties. That said, Radisson has  
implemented additional security measures designed to prevent a  
recurrence of such an attack and to protect the guest privacy.  The  
company also is working closely with major credit card suppliers and  
federal law enforcement to ensure the incident is properly addressed.

There are fraudulent charges on my credit/debit card. What do I do?
Contact the bank that issued your credit card right away and let them  
know of the fraudulent charges.  They will provide you with  
instructions on how to dispute the charges so that you are not  
responsible for paying them if they were in fact unauthorized.

Was my Social Security number compromised?
The accessed computer systems did not include Social Security numbers.

Why did you have my personal information?
This is information that is kept to secure guest hotel reservations  
and to process purchases at various hotel outlets such as restaurants,  
etc.

How many hotels and/or consumers/hotel guests were affected?
At this time we do not know how many properties and/or consumers/ 
guests were affected.  The forensic investigation is still underway.   
We believe at this time it is limited to an isolated number of hotels  
in the U.S. and Canada.

How did Radisson learn about the unauthorized access [hacking/security  
breach]?
We became aware of the unauthorized access through information  
provided by payment card companies (Visa, MasterCard, etc), and our  
payment card processors.

What are you doing about the breach?  How will you prevent this from  
happening in the future?
With support from law enforcement and forensic investigators, we are  
conducting a thorough review of the potentially affected computer  
systems for Radisson® hotels, and to ensure the incident is properly  
addressed. Radisson also has implemented additional security measures  
designed to prevent a recurrence of such an attack and to protect  
guest privacy.

Who has been notified?
We have provided general notice to consumers through various media  
outlets, this website, and, in certain circumstances where the  
consumer could be identified, through a letter to the consumer.   
Additionally, we have notified law enforcement, the credit reporting  
agencies, the payment card companies - who are working with us to  
conduct the investigation - and our bank of the incident.

If I did not receive a letter, how will I know if I was affected?
Not all Radisson® hotels were affected, but if you would like  
additional information on this incident, and/or more information on  
measures to guard against identity theft, please contact Radisson at  
(866) 584-9255 between 7 a.m.-11 p.m. daily, or review the additional  
materials and information provided on this website.

Does this mean that I'm a victim of identity theft?
No. The fact that someone may have had access to personal information  
does not mean that you are a victim of identity theft, or that the  
personal information will be used to commit fraud. We wanted to let  
you know about the incident so that you can take appropriate steps to  
protect yourself, such as by reviewing your account statements and  
credit report closely for unauthorized activity, and reporting any  
unauthorized activity to your credit card company.  You may also wish  
to consider placing a fraud alert or security freeze on your credit  
files.

How will I know if any of my personal information was used by someone  
else?
You can take appropriate steps to protect yourself by reviewing your  
account statements and credit report closely for unauthorized  
activity, and reporting any unauthorized activity to your credit card  
company.

Do I have to pay for the credit report?
No.  You can order your credit reports from all three credit bureaus  
for free once a year.  You can do this online at www.annualcreditreport.com 
, or by phone at 1-877-322-8228.

In addition, Radisson has arranged with Equifax Personal Solutions to  
provide eligible Radisson guests with free credit monitoring for one  
year if the guest enrolls by November 18, 2009.

Am I eligible for free credit monitoring?
If you stayed at a Radisson® hotel in the U.S. or Canada between  
November 2008 and May 2009, you may be eligible for free credit  
monitoring.  Please call Radisson at (866) 584-9255 between 7 a.m. -  
11p.m. CST daily for more information and verification of eligibility.

How long does it take to receive my credit reports?
You can view your reports online if you order them at www.annualcreditreport.com 
. If you order by phone, you should receive the reports by mail in  
five to ten days.

What should I look for on my credit report?
Look for any accounts that you don't recognize, especially recently  
opened accounts.  Look at the inquiries or requests section for names  
of creditors from whom you haven't requested credit. Look in the  
personal information section for addresses where you've never lived.  
Any of these things might be indications of fraud. Also be on the  
alert for other possible signs of identity theft, such as calls from  
creditors or debt collectors about bills that you don't recognize, or  
unusual charges on your credit card bills.

Note that some kinds of inquiries, labeled something like "promotional  
inquiries," are for unsolicited offers of credit, mostly from  
companies with whom you do business.  Don't be concerned about those  
inquiries as a sign of fraud. (You are automatically removed from  
lists to receive unsolicited pre-approved credit offers when you put a  
fraud alert on your account. You can also stop those offers by calling  
888-5OPTOUT.)

What steps can I take to further protect my information?
As a precautionary measure, we recommend that consumers review their  
account statements and credit reports closely.  If you detect any  
suspicious activity on an account, you should promptly notify the  
financial institution or company with which the account is  
maintained.  You also should promptly report any fraudulent activity  
or any suspected incidence of identity theft to proper law enforcement  
authorities, your state attorney general, or the Federal Trade  
Commission.

In addition, you may wish to review the tips provided by the Federal  
Trade Commission on how to avoid identity theft.  For more  
information, please visit http://www.ftc.gov/idtheft or call 1-877-ID- 
THEFT (877-438-4338).  Maryland residents may also wish to review  
information provided by the Maryland Attorney General on how to avoid  
identity theft at http://www.oag.state.md.us/idtheft, or by sending an  
email to idtheft () oag state md us, or calling 410-576-6491.

How often should I order new credit reports and how long should I  
continue ordering them?
We recommend checking your credit reports at least twice a year as a  
general privacy protection measure.  In the short term, you may want  
to review them more frequently, such as every three months.

Should I place a fraud alert on my credit report?  How can I do that?
You may consider placing a fraud alert on your credit report.  This  
fraud alert statement informs creditors to possible fraudulent  
activity within your report and requests that the creditor contact you  
prior to establishing any accounts in your name.  To place a fraud  
alert on your credit report, call any one of the three credit bureaus  
at the numbers provided below and follow the "Fraud Victim"  
instructions.  The one you call will notify the others to place the  
alert.  When you call the credit bureau fraud line, you will be asked  
for identifying information and will be given the opportunity to enter  
a phone number for creditors to call.  You may want to make this your  
cell phone number for convenience in responding to such calls.

Trans Union - 1-800-680-7289
Experian - 1-888-397-3742
Equifax - 1-800-525-6285


I called the credit bureau fraud line and they asked for my Social  
Security Number.  Is it okay to give it to them?
The credit bureaus ask for your Social Security number and other  
information so that they can identify you and avoid sending your  
credit report to the wrong person.  It is okay to give this  
information to the credit bureau that you call.

Do I have to call all three credit bureaus?
No.  If you call just one of the bureaus, they will notify the other  
two.  A fraud alert will be placed on your file with all three and you  
will receive a confirming letter from all three.

Why can't I talk to someone at the credit bureaus?
You must first order your credit reports.  When you receive your  
credit reports, each one will have a phone number you can call to  
speak with a live person in the bureau's fraud unit.  If you see  
anything on any of your reports that looks unusual or that you do not  
understand, call the number on the report.

What is a fraud alert?
A fraud alert is a message that credit issuers receive when someone  
applies for new credit in your name. The message tells creditors that  
there is possible fraud associated with the account. They must take  
steps to verify the identity of the applicant. For example, they may  
call you at the phone number you provided when placing the fraud alert.

Will a fraud alert stop me from using my credit cards?
No. A fraud alert will not stop you from using your existing credit  
cards or other accounts.  Its purpose is to help protect you against  
an identity thief trying to open credit accounts in your name.  It  
may, however, slow down your ability to get new credit. Credit issuers  
get a special message alerting them to the possibility of fraud.  
Creditors know that they should re-verify the identity of the person  
applying for credit.

How long does a fraud alert last?
An initial fraud alert lasts 90 days. You can remove an alert by  
calling the credit bureaus at the phone number given on your credit  
report. If you want to reinstate the alert, you can do so.

What if I have a fraud alert on, but I want to apply for credit?
You should still be able to get credit. While a fraud alert may slow  
down the application process, you can prove your identity to a  
prospective creditor by providing identifying information.

Should I place a security freeze on my credit file?  How?
In some U.S. states, you have the right to put a security freeze on  
your credit file.  This will prevent new credit from being opened in  
your name without the use of a PIN number that is issued to you when  
you initiate the freeze.  A security freeze is designed to prevent  
potential creditors from accessing your credit report without your  
consent.  As a result, using a security freeze may interfere with or  
delay your ability to obtain credit.  Additionally, if you request a  
security freeze from a consumer reporting agency there may be a fee to  
place, lift, or remove the security freeze.  You must separately place  
a security freeze on your credit file with each credit reporting agency.



--
The war on privilege will never end. Its next great campaign will be  
against the privileges of the underprivileged. H. L. Mencken





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