Stolen computer contains participants’ personal information

EUGENE, Ore. -- (Jan. 13, 2009) – A laptop computer containing data files for Youth Transition Program (YTP) participants was stolen from a University of Oregon employee near the end of October, and some of those files contained the names and social security numbers of YTP participants. The theft appeared to be random and the computer was password protected. There is no indication that the thief has been able to access any of the computer’s files.

The YTP is a collaborative transition program that serves more than 1,200 youths with disabilities statewide in Oregon. The program provides career planning and employment services to individuals ages 17 to 21 who have a variety of disabilities including learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, emotional disabilities and mental retardation. The program is run by the Oregon Department of Human Services, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (OVRS). However, the university provides evaluation services for OVRS to help the agency determine which programs are most effective.

The university has sent notifications letters to the participants whose personal information may have been on the computer, but some of those letters have been returned with no forwarding addresses. Participants who were involved with the YTP program from 2004 to 2007 are urged to monitor their financial accounts and credit reports for suspicious activity. Any suspected identity theft should be reported to law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission.

“Keeping personal information private and safe is a high priority at the university,” said Rich Linton, UO vice president for research and graduate studies. “This instance is very unfortunate and we’ve already taken steps to help ensure that such criminal acts can’t lead to potential compromises of personal information.”

The university has already made several changes that will help to insure that this situation does not occur again. This includes no longer collecting the social security numbers of YTP participants, storing YTP data on an encrypted web-based system, and requiring employees involved with YTP to delete records stored on individual laptop computers.

Questions from YTP program participants from 2004 through 2007 may be directed to the university’s Office for Protection of Human Subjects at 541-346-2510.

Individuals can order a free credit report by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com or calling toll free 1-877-322-8228. The three national credit reporting agencies are: 1) Equifax – 1-800-525-6285, www.equifax.com, P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241; 2) Experian – 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742), www.experian.com, P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013; and 3) TransUnion – 1-800-680-7289, www.transunion.com, Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790.

About the University of Oregon
The University of Oregon is a world-class teaching and research institution and Oregon's flagship public university. The UO is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), an organization made up of the 62 leading public and private research institutions in the United States and Canada. The University of Oregon is one of only two AAU members in the Pacific Northwest.

Contact: Julie Brown, 541-346-3185, julbrown@uoregon.edu

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