Release date: 9/11/2017
(RALEIGH, NC) Attorney General Josh Stein released the following statement about the Equifax data breach this afternoon:“Data security must be a top priority. I am extremely concerned about the Equifax data breach that exposed nearly 5 million North Carolinians’ personal data. My office has contacted Equifax to demand answers about how it will protect people and prevent future security issues.
That includes asking for information about Equifax’s plans to waive fees collected for consumers who request a security freeze, reimbursements for consumers who choose to request a security freeze from other credit reporting agencies, and a detailed description of the credit monitoring and report lock Equifax is offering to consumers. I will work with my colleagues from other states to investigate this breach. Data breaches are becoming all too common among these large companies, and I will continue to take them very seriously.
In the meantime, if you are concerned about your own data, please take action. Check here to see if your data has been compromised in this breach. In North Carolina, it is free to initiate a security freeze if you do it online. A security freeze, or credit freeze, stops “new account fraud” so crooks can’t take out new lines of credit in your name no matter how much stolen private information they have about you. Please visit ncdoj.gov/creditfreeze to learn more and take action.“I will do everything in my power to protect the millions of North Carolinians whose information has been exposed.”
More information about Attorney General Josh Stein and data breaches:
· Nationwide Insurance Data Breach
· Target Data Breach
· Equifax Consumer Alert
Contact:
Laura Brewer (919) 716-6484
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