After a significant cyber incident at TransUnion compromised the data of over 4.4 million individuals, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is reissuing a consumer alert regarding data breaches. As reported by the Michigan government's official website, the unauthorized access, which occurred in July, was a result of a vulnerability in a third-party application and led to personal data such as names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth being exposed; credit information, however, was reportedly not affected.
TransUnion has initiated contact with the impacted parties by mail, offering 24 months of free credit monitoring services designed to alert consumers of changes in their credit files and provide assistance in potential fraud scenarios; nevertheless, the exact number of affected consumers in Michigan remains elusive, mainly because unlike many states, Michigan law does not obligate companies to notify the Department of Attorney General about data breaches, a situation Attorney General Nessel is determined to rectify by advocating for strengthened legislation. Senate Bills 360-364, directed at bolstering defenses against data breaches and identity theft, have made headway in the state parliament with the Michigan Senate giving the green light earlier in the year, and now wait in the wings for the Michigan House of Representatives to cast its vote.
"Michigan constantly rates among the top 20 states for identity theft reports, and data breaches like these only increase the risks for consumers," Nessel told the Michigan Department of Attorney General. In response to these events, Attorney General Nessel has reiterated the importance of taking precautionary steps; these include watching out for phishing emails, strengthening passwords, minimizing data retention, utilizing multifactor authentication, and frequently reviewing their credit reports through services like Annual Credit Report.
Moreover, a credit freeze is strongly recommended, especially in instances where Social Security numbers have been accessed, to halt the potential for identity thieves initiating new loans or credit cards under a victim's name, since such credit transactions require credit reports, which would be inaccessible due to the freeze. To navigate through the aftermath of such incidents, the Michigan Identity Theft Support System (MITS) has been launched by Attorney General Nessel, aiming to support and guide residents towards restoring their stolen identities; steps include reviewing identity theft signs, contacting financial institutions, checking credit reports, and placing freezes on credit, and filing proper theft reports with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or the police.
