DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Daytona State College is warning its staff about a potential data breach involving W-2 information after one employee had his or her personal information misused.
The investigation is in its early stages and at this point officials aren't sure if a data breach did in fact occur.
"Our investigation is ongoing, and we are working as quickly as we can," executive vice president Brian Babb said in a statement to employees. "If we determine that your information was compromised, we will be in contact with you and will provide additional information."
Current and former employees could potentially be affected. The college has arranged free data protection services for employees.
Adjunct music professor Gordon Russell said he received a six-page letter saying that his 2016 W-2 information, which includes name, address, social security number, salary information and tax withholdings, may have been exposed.
"Obviously, it caused me some great concern," Russell said.
The school said it learned about the possible breach on Feb. 19 and alerted employees with a letter and is providing free data protection services to employees for a year.
Russell said the letter is helpful, but shouldn't be needed in the first place.
"I think they're on top of it, but what concerns me, is that it happened at all," he said.
While the investigation is underway, officials are urging current and former employees to take the following steps:
- Complete the 2016 tax filing process and file an IRS identity theft affidavit IRS Form 14039, available here, as soon as possible. If a fraudulent tax return has already been filed in your name, you will need to file a paper return with IRS Form 14039 attached to the top.
- Monitor your credit statements and report any suspicious activity to local law enforcement, your state’s attorney general, and/or the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”).
- Avoid phishing schemes by deleting any emails with suspicious links or that ask for personal information.