University Laptop Containing Social Security Numbers Lost

SEATTLE (AP) – Seattle University is warning that the names and Social Security numbers of more than 2,000 people could be exposed after a university-issued laptop was lost last month.

The Seattle Times reports that files containing information for 2,102 current and former faculty, staff and their dependents are accessible from the unencrypted laptop, which a university employee lost on a King County Metro bus on March 26, according to a statement from the university.

A few days later, the employee alerted university officials, who notified Metro and Seattle police, but they were unable to find the laptop. The university said that while there’s no indication the information was accessed, the laptop has access to information about employees and their dependents enrolled in the university’s benefit plan.

The university sent letters to those who may be affected on April 22, offering a one-year membership for an identity-theft and credit-monitoring service.