Jefferson & Cole, LLC, a 15-person accounting firm in the Intermountain West, believed they were “too small to be targeted.” Their protections were basic: a password-protected server, periodic antivirus updates, and annual credit checks on the partners’ personal accounts. No formal identity theft protection. No employee cybersecurity training. No incident response plan.

Then one evening, a single click on a phishing email gave criminals access to the firm’s client portal. Within hours, bank account details, tax records, and Social Security numbers were compromised.

The Fallout:

·       Client Losses: Over $400,000 in fraudulent wire transfers

·       Legal Battles: Lawsuits and regulatory investigations

·       Reputation Damage: Long-time clients walked away

·       Operational Chaos: Six weeks of disruption and forensic restoration

·       Financial Impact: More than $1.2 million in losses—over a year’s revenue

The root cause? Waiting until “if it happens” rather than preparing before it did.

The Recovery:
After the breach, Jefferson & Cole brought in experts to overhaul their security. Key measures included:

·       Multi-factor authentication, endpoint protection, and encrypted backups

·       Identity theft monitoring for the firm and all employees

·       Quarterly employee training on phishing and secure data handling

·       Cyber liability insurance and updated client contracts

·       A formal incident response and continuity plan, tested regularly

Within a year, the firm regained client trust—and even leveraged its stronger security posture as a competitive edge. But it was an expensive way to learn a simple truth: proactive protection isn’t optional—it’s survival.

Act Now.
When identity theft strikes, recovery is costly, stressful, and time-consuming. Prevention is simple. Protect your name, your credit, and your future today with My Bridge Builder, LLC. Stop identity thieves cold.

📞 (801) 557-7105
✉️ markholland@mybridgebuilder.com
🌐 www.mybridgebuilder.com