Missouri government retirees won't be able to access their information online until Tuesday morning - thanks to someone who managed to gain "unauthorized access" to four MOSERS members' home pages.
MOSERS - the Missouri State Employees Retirement System - sent about 81,000 emails, and another 20,000 letters, on Thursday to members, explaining the situation, which follows "four successful attempts beginning last month to fraudulently complete an online form for active members of MOSERS."
The information also has been posted on MOSERS website, www.mosers.org.
Candy Smith, the retirement system's communication and strategic planning coordinator, told the News Tribune the attempts to get money were detected, and no money was released.
In the online statement, MOSERS explained the four people whose accounts were hacked have been contacted and been given specific information about the effort.
"We are taking this matter very seriously, and we are working with state and federal law enforcement officials to identify and bring to justice the guilty party(ies)," the statement said.
Smith said: "We have been in direct contact with the FBI and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
"The Highway Patrol contacted the Cole County Prosecuting Attorney's Office on our behalf."
Both Smith and the statement noted the access was made through individual members' home pages on the MOSERS site.
"In order to get in, they had to have the members' Social Security numbers or MOSERS IDs, and their passwords," Smith explained.
She said the officials don't know how the hackers got that information.
Because of the unauthorized access, they're making all MOSERS members create new passwords and security questions - but members can't try to change their information until Tuesday, because the "Secure Member Login" has been blocked since 8 a.m. Thursday.
"Effective immediately, and out of an abundance of caution to avoid any potential data breaches, we are rescinding the online passwords and security questions for all MOSERS members," the website statement reported.
After 8 a.m. Tuesday, the online statement said: "The next time you wish to log on it will be necessary for you to go through a process of setting up a new password and security question just as if you were a new member.
"To do so, you must go to www.mosers.org, click on "Register for a Password' and follow the prompts."
The online statement reminded MOSERS members that it always is a "good practice" to change passwords frequently, whether for MOSERS or "other sites that contain your personal information."
The online statement also provides contact information for the three credit reporting agencies, as well as procedures to follow in getting a free credit report and notifying the credit agencies of any discrepancies found in those reports.
People who need information about their accounts before Tuesday - or who have information about other members' records being compromised - will need to call MOSERS directly, either at 573-632-6100 in Jefferson City, or toll-free at 800-827-1063, or send an email at [email protected].
Updates on the situation will be posted on the MOSERS website.