T-Mobile is Victim of Breach by Experian - 15 million Clients Information Compromised

SAN FRANCISCO — A hacker has acquired the records of 15 million T-Mobile customers and people who had applied for credit, the company reported Thursday.

The breach, which affected two years worth of records,occurred at Experian, the vendor that processes T-Mobile's credit applications, T-Mobile  CEO John Legere said in a post on the site.

Experian North America said in a notice that one of its business units was compromised, but that its consumer credit bureau was not affected.

Experian has notified both U.S. and international law enforcement. Experian North America's parent company, Experian is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.

"The investigation is ongoing, but what we know right now is that the hacker acquired the records of approximately 15 million people, including new applicants requiring a credit check for service or device financing from September 1, 2013 through September 16, 2015," Legere wrote.

"The data set was for applicants and customers of T-Mobile who applied for service over that two year period," said Experian spokeswoman Susan Henson.

The breach happened approximately two weeks ago. It "was discovered within two days, secured immediately, comprehensive forensic investigation launched (and still continuing) and we announced it today to quickly notify consumers. Our notification to state attorneys’ general happens tomorrow," Henseon said.

In a refreshing change from the corporate-speak often used by CEOs whose businesses are breached, T-Mobile's Legere stayed true to form with his directness.

"Obviously I am incredibly angry about this data breach," he said, saying he would conduct a "thorough review" of his company's relationship with Experian but that his top concern for now was "assisting any and all consumers affected."

The compromised information includes customers' names, addresses and birth dates as well as encrypted fields with Social Security number and ID number, which could be a driver’s license or passport number.

Experian told T-Mobile the encryption protecting those numbers may have been compromised, Legere said.

Experian and T-Mobile have set up two years of free credit monitoring and identity resolution services for compromised customers. Ironically, the service is being offered through Experian's own credit monitoring service.

Experian cautioned consumers that under no circumstances would either Experian or T-Mobile call them or send them messages asking for personal information in connection with the breach.

"You may go to the website, but you should not provide personal information to anyone who calls you or sends you a message about this incident," Experian said in a statement.

Get your 2 years of credit monitoring from Experian here: http://www.protectmyid.com/default.aspx?sc=678628

Next Post: 7 Secrets To Get a PERFECT Credit Score: http://creditra.blogspot.com/2015/10/7-secrets-on-how-to-get-perfect-credit.html

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Attorney's Advice - Print and Save for Reference!

In this time of fraud and identity theft, it's better to be prepared. Here is some useful info.


ATTORNEY'S ADVICE - NO CHARGE

Read this and make a copy for your files in case you need to refer to it someday. Maybe we should all take some of his advice! A corporate attorney sent the following out to the employees in his company:


1. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put 'PHOTO ID REQUIRED.'


2. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT put the complete account number on the 'For' line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number, and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check processing channels won't have access to it.


3. Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a PO Box use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a PO Box, use your work address. Never have your SS# printed on your checks. (DUH!) You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have It printed, anyone can get it.


4. Place the contents of your wallet on photocopy machine. Do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel.. Keep the photocopy in a safe place.


I also carry a photocopy of my passport when I travel either here or abroad. We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed on us in stealing a Name, address, Social Security number, credit cards..


Unfortunately, I, an attorney, have firsthand knowledge because my wallet was stolen last month. Within a week, the thieves ordered an expensive monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving record information online, and more.


But here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you know:


5. We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. But the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them.


6. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit cards, etc., were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).


But here's what is perhaps most important of all: (I never even thought to do this.)


7. Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and also call the Social Security fraud line number.. I had never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an application for credit was made over the Internet in my name.


The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen, and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit..


By the time I was advised to do this, almost two weeks after the theft, all the damage had been done. There are records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves' purchases, none of which I knew about before placing the alert. Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped them dead in their tracks..



Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about your wallet, if it has been stolen:

1.) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285 1-800-525-6285

2.) Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742 1-888-397-3742

3.) Trans Union : 1-800-680 7289 1-800-680 7289

4.) Social Security Administration (fraud line):
1-800-269-0271 1-800-269-0271




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