Carvin Software carvinsoftware.com Carvin Software data breach: what happened and what to do
Carvin Software, which makes staffing and consulting software, said files were copied from its network between February 22 and March 9, 2023. Its notices say names, Social Security numbers and financial account information may have been involved. Notices began on May 2, 2023.
View all 13,177 breaches- Breach date
- 22 Feb 2023
- Data exposed
- Names, Social security numbers, Bank account numbers
- Last updated
Reviewed by Anthon Wansland
Head of Product & Co-Founder
Serus is a privacy company with paid tools to find and remove your personal data. This page is free and based on official sources.
Carvin Software provides software and consulting services to staffing and payroll businesses. Because its customers own the data, the notice letters were sent on behalf of those customers, in batches. So you may have heard about it from an employer or staffing agency rather than from Carvin.
What happened
Carvin says it detected unusual activity on its internal network on March 9, 2023. The investigation found that files were copied from the network between February 22 and March 9, 2023, and it concluded in late March. State attorney general listings show consumer notification starting May 2, 2023, with supplemental notices for additional customers later in May.
Sources checked: maine.gov, oag.ca.gov, atg.wa.gov
Last verified against the official page:
What was exposed
The notices say the files potentially contained name, Social Security number and financial account information. Totals reported by outside sources vary and aren't confirmed against the filings, so this page doesn't state one.
Why payroll data is a bigger risk
Staffing and payroll records tie your name to your Social Security number and the account your pay goes into. That is the data used for tax refund fraud, new credit applications and attempts to redirect payroll.
What followed
A consolidated class action was filed in federal court in Arizona. No settlement is confirmed in the sources used here.
The steps below follow FTC guidance for an exposed Social Security number.
What to do if you were in it
- 1
Freeze your credit at all three bureaus
A credit freeze is free and stops new accounts being opened in your name. Ask Equifax, Experian and TransUnion separately, as the FTC explains at consumer.ftc.gov. You can lift it whenever you need to apply for credit.
- 2
Get an IRS Identity Protection PIN
The IRS offers an Identity Protection PIN to stop someone filing a tax return in your name. Sign up at irs.gov/ippin.
- 3
Watch your statements and credit reports
Check your bank and card statements for charges you don't recognize, and pull your free reports at annualcreditreport.com. If something looks wrong, report it at IdentityTheft.gov, the FTC's reporting site.
- 4
Check your direct deposit details
If a financial account number was exposed, tell your bank, and confirm with your employer that your direct deposit details haven't changed.
- 5
Expect phishing that mentions the breach
Scammers use real names and addresses to sound credible. Don't click links in unexpected emails or texts, and contact the organization using the number on its official website.
- 6
Check whether your email or phone is in this and other breaches
Run a free Serus scan. It checks breach databases and the dark web for your email and phone number and tells you what to do next. Serus can't remove data from a breach, but it alerts you when your details turn up.
Frequently asked
Was I affected by the Carvin Software data breach?
Notices were sent on behalf of Carvin's customers, such as staffing companies. If you got a letter, you were affected. If you worked with a staffing business, check with them.
What was exposed?
The notices list names, Social Security numbers and financial account information.
Is there a settlement?
A consolidated class action was filed in Arizona. No settlement is confirmed in the sources used for this page.
Should I freeze my credit?
Yes, if your Social Security number may have been involved. A freeze is free.
Sources
- maine.gov/agviewer/content/ag/985235c7-cb95-4be2-8792-a1252b4f8318/af176794-2a6b-4b46-84fa-e1c85f9ed3c5.shtml
- oag.ca.gov/system/files/Carvin%20-%20Supplemental%20Notice%20of%20Data%20Event%20-%20Sample%20Notice.pdf
- atg.wa.gov/data-breach-notifications
- consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-credit-freezes-and-fraud-alerts
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