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Carruth Compliance Consulting is a firm that provides third-party retirement services for many Oregon school districts and education service districts, including Multnomah Education Service District. The organization handles 403(b) and 457(b) savings plans. 

On Dec. 21, the company identified suspicious activity on its systems. An investigation determined that between Dec. 19 - Dec. 26, 2024, sensitive client information was compromised in a data breach. Carruth notified clients of the breach on Jan. 13, 2025. 

Read the notice about the Carruth data security event.

 

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. What information was compromised? 
   The information affected by the data breach includes name and a combination of information including social security number and financial account information. In some cases, the information could include driver’s license number, W-2 information, medical billing information (but not medical records) and tax filings.

2. Am I affected?
   This data breach potentially impacts anyone who has been employed by MESD between 2008 and today. To be on the safe side, we are assuming that all MESD employees between 2008 and now have been impacted by this breach, and we encourage everyone to follow the recommended steps for protecting themselves:

• Enroll in credit monitoring - Carruth is offering free credit monitoring and identity restoration services through IDX. To enroll in credit monitoring, call 877-720-7895. 
   
• Monitor your accounts - Remain vigilant for incidents of identity theft and/or fraud. You can regularly review your bank accounts, credit card statements and other financial information for any suspicious activity. 
   
• Check your credit report - You are entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. To order a free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call 977-322-8228 or contact the bureaus directly.  
   
• Consider placing a fraud alert or freeze on your credit - You have the right to place an initial (1 year) or extended (7 years) fraud alert on your credit at no cost. The alert requires a business to take additional steps to verify your identity before extending new credit. You can also place a credit freeze on a credit report, which will prohibit a credit bureau from releasing information in your credit report without your authorization. The freeze helps prevent credit, loans or services from being approved in your name without your consent.
  
  To place a fraud alert or credit freeze, contact the three major credit reporting bureaus:
  Equifax: 1-888-298-0045 or www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services
  Experian: 1-888-397-3742 or www.experian.com/help
  TransUnion: 1-800-916-8800 or www.transunion.com/credit-help
   
• Learn more about how to protect yourself - Learn more about reporting identity theft and how to recover or call 1-877-ID-THEFT. 

3. What is MESD doing?
   We are working with Carruth to better understand the scope of the breach and to ensure they are taking appropriate steps to mitigate the impact on our employees.
   
   We are providing this FAQ and will continue to update it with the latest information as it becomes available.

4. How can I get more information?
   You can call Carruth at 877-720-7895, Monday through Friday 6 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Pacific Time).