Toledo Public Faculty college students seeing results of huge information breach

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – The 13abc I team is seeing the first real signs of the impact of this massive event Toledo Public Schools data breach.

We are now hearing from parents who say they are being notified of accounts that are trying to open on their children’s behalf.

As the 13abc I team first told you in October, this violation was much larger than first reported. It included academic and personal information from students and staff.

There’s no kid in Harvard Elementary who should have a car loan or credit card, but a parent we spoke to said someone was trying to open them on their son’s behalf.

When this TPS family (who refused to give 13abc their last name) received the letter in November stating that their child’s personal information was part of a data breach, it was surprising to say the least.

“I thought they had firewalls and things like that. I’m technically inadequate, but enough to protect our information, ”said Bryan, the TPS parent who spoke to 13abc.

He has now learned that his son’s information is in the hands of people who shouldn’t be. Here are some of the messages he received about his elementary school student:

• The first was for a credit card rejection.
• Another happened when the child was denied a car loan because the reason was their income quota.
• One of the last was to have fixed electricity tariffs.
• The family received a flyer talking about the student’s Toledo Edison account and the gift card he could get by switching supplier.

“They have our children’s information and are trying to use it,” said Bryan.

The Toledo Public Schools offered credit monitoring to all current students, current employees, and any retired employees whom the district said they had an address for. The surveillance only goes so far because the bad guys already have the personal information and can use it.

Surveillance could pick it up, but parents need to be vigilant about what messages or letters they are receiving and act quickly to shut something down.

“We all have to take care of our loved ones and protect them now because something is wrong,” said Bryan.

The good news is that this family is using surveillance and has yet to find an account opened on the child’s behalf.

TPS said advertisements were placed in newspapers across Ohio informing former TPS employees who may not be around about the violation and the surveillance.

If you haven’t heard from the district and think you should, you can contact them at 419-671-0242.

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