Families being notified following data breach of yearbook, graduation apparel supplier

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - Graduation season just wrapped up, and now some parents and students are learning they are victims in a data breach.

The company Herff Jones, which is a popular supplier of yearbooks and graduation caps and gowns, is notifying customers.

Letters are being sent out in the mail by Herff Jones, notifying customers that personal information may have been compromised.

If you receive a letter, you should monitor your credit card account closely.

The Herff Jones website says back in May, they were made aware of suspicious activity with certain customers’ payment information, and promptly launched an investigation.

In an update last week, the company said they’re in the process of notifying potentially impacted customers, and are doing so by sending out letters and offering free credit monitoring for a year.

Herff Jones says they are working with a leading cybersecurity firm, and haven’t said how many customers are impacted by the breach.

Hackers may have been able to access customers’ payment card information, address, phone number, and e-mail.

The Identity Theft Resource Center (IDTRC) - a national nonprofit consumer group - lists this as a notable data breach in spring, and was discovered after graduating students from several universities noticed fraudulent transactions on their payment cards.

The identity theft resource center says if you get a data breach notification letter from Herff Jones, you should follow the advice offered by the company.

The IDTRC also says to change your password on any breached accounts, monitor your credit card and bank accounts, and if you have any questions, to contact the company. Herff Jones’ customer service team can be reached between 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Eastern Time from Monday - Friday at 855-535-1795.

CLICK HERE to read Herff Hones’ full statement on the breach.

In addition to the Herff Jones data breach, the IDTRC says Amazon Prime Day shoppers should watch for phishing scams.

Scammers tend to look forward to these types of events, and hide behind the Amazon name and logo, sending phishing e-mails.

Action 2 News has previously reported on these popular scams, where an e-mail tells you there’s a problem with your Amazon account, and you need to click to verify or change your password. There’s also a scenario where an e-mail says there’s a shipment coming, but you need to verify your credit card number.

The goal is always to get you to click and give up your personal information.

Don’t click, and don’t return a call.

If you think there’s an issue, go directly to your Amazon account, and check it out for yourself.

CLICK HERE to file a complaint with the Wisconsin Division of Trade and Consumer Protection.

Anyone wishing to learn more about the IDTRC can do so by CLICKING HERE. The IDTRC is a resource for anyone who has questions about cyber security, or is a victim of identity theft.

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