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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
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