North Bay, ON – Sept. 13, 2023 – The City of North Bay is notifying the public about a privacy breach involving customer information.
On Wednesday, City officials discovered that an unauthorized party gained access to accounts receivable data through a phishing attack, prompting City staff to immediate action, including efforts to contact affected customers. The breach exposed approximately 300 customer names and outstanding balances, with no other data compromised.
In response to this breach, the City is actively reviewing its data security protocols and has notified the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
The City is also advising customers to exercise heightened caution when dealing with unsolicited emails, phone calls, or letters that contain links, attachments, or requests related to City accounts. Customers who receive any communication they find suspicious regarding a payment of any invoices can contact the City’s Manager of Financial Services at 705-474-0400 ext. 2232.
The City remains committed to safeguarding the privacy and security of vendors and residents whose information is under its care and control and regrets that this incident occurred.