In yet another case of sensitive data becoming MIA (missing in action), the personal information of 650,000 people, including names, addresses, account numbers, Social Security numbers, and other information, was comprised when GE Money Americas and its backup storage vendor, Iron Mountain, lost an unencryted backup tape.
The backup tape contained data on customers for JC Penney and up to 100 other retail store customers.
GE Money alerted the New Hampshire Attorney General's office of this security breach on Dec. 28, 2007. According to their notice, the tape was checked into Iron Mountain's secure facility and never checked out, but a search of Iron Mountain's premises and theirs has been unable to locate it.
It is hard to assess if the information on the missing tape is being used inappropriately or whether it will be misused in the future. GE Money is offering 12 months of credit monitoring for those persons that had Social Security numbers on the lost tape.
As anyone familiar with the TJ Maxx data breach knows, 12 months is a short blip in the lifespan of sensitive personal data like Social Security numbers. It becomes the consumer's burden to regularly and consistently check his or her credit report for possible identity theft issues. If you fear that your personal identifiable information has been compromised, you can elect to implement a "freeze" on your credit.
To contact GE Money, call toll-free Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 7:00 pm EST, at 1-866-913-6690.
