MARLTON, N.J. - Jan. 24, 2022 - PRLog -- The law firm of Console & Associates, P.C. recently announced it will be investigating the recent StarTek, Inc. data breach to identify what, if any, legal remedies those whose information was compromised in the breach have against the company. If evidence reveals that StarTek, Inc. did not take preventative steps to safeguard consumer data from ending up in the hands of hackers and other cybercriminals, the company may be financially liable through a data breach class action lawsuit.

A data breach occurs when an unauthorized party gains access to consumer data, typically by hacking into a company's information technology network. While a data breach doesn't mean that those affected will necessarily experience identity theft, it is a possibility that should not be ignored. This is because there is no way of telling what a hacker plans to do with the information, and one of the most common reasons why hackers seek consumer data is to commit identity theft or sell the information to another party who may have similar criminal intent.

The StarTek data breach was only recently announced to the public. Thus, the investigation into its causes is still ongoing. However, the breach raises serious questions about StarTek's efforts to keep consumer data secure from cyber threats. If it turns out that StarTek, Inc. was negligent in how it handled or maintained consumer data, affected parties may be eligible for financial compensation.

Attorney Richard Console explains, "It's easy to place all the blame for a data breach on the person who hacks into an organization's system; however, this ignores the legal and moral obligation that these companies owe to customers. When someone gives a company their business, they trust that the information in the organization's possession will remain private—and out of the hands of criminals. While protecting consumer data requires a business to undergo some effort and expense, in our current environment of widespread hacking, this is a cost of doing business that all organizations must take seriously."

According to the most recent data breach letter issued by StarTek, Inc., on June 26, 2021, the company experienced what it characterizes as a "network disruption." No further details were provided. After investigating the incident, the company determined that an unknown party gained access to and obtained data from the StarTek network without authorization.

On December 23, 2021, StarTek, Inc. subsequently determined that the breach exposed the personal information of 24,819 customers and employees. This information included affected parties' first names, last names, Social Security numbers and dates of birth.

Around January 21, 2022, StarTek, Inc. sent out written data breach notifications to all affected customers and employees, informing them of the breach and what they can do to protect themselves. In this communication, StarTek, Inc. explained that there is no indication that the unauthorized party used or intends to use any of the data obtained. However, the company acknowledged the risks involved and encouraged those impacted by the breach to keep a lookout for signs of identity theft.

Those receiving a data breach letter from the StarTek, Inc. protect themselves to the extent possible by taking the following steps:

1. Carefully review the letter sent by StarTek, Inc.;
2. Retain a copy of the data breach notification letter;
3. Enroll in the free credit monitoring service provided by StarTek, Inc.;
4. Change all passwords and security questions to online accounts;
5. Frequently review all credit card and bank account statements for any signs of fraud or unauthorized activity;
6. Monitor credit reports for any unexpected changes or signs of identity theft;
7. Contact a credit bureau to request a temporary fraud alert; and
8. Notify all banks and credit card companies of the data breach.