International Hackers Nab Millions of South Carolina Social Security Numbers
If you filed a South Carolina tax return since 1998, you are at risk of being part of the 3.6 million Social Security numbers and 387,000 credit and debit card numbers exposed in the cyber-attack, according to S.C. Department of Revenue officials. Most of the credit card numbers were encrypted, some 16,000 were not. The Social Security numbers also lacked such protections, officials said during a news conference Friday in Columbia.
The personal information of millions of South Carolinians is at risk after an international hacker got into the state Department of Revenue's computer and plundered credit card, debit card and Social Security numbers. That's 77% of South Carolina Residents! To top it off, the state waited 16 days before letting the public know their financial and personal data could be in the hands of thieves!
What happened
The issue: South Carolina leaders announced that 3.6 million Social Security numbers and 387,000 credit and debit card numbers were exposed in a cyber-attack. Officials waited 16 days following the discovery of the breach to announce it to the public.
What's next: The state is offering free credit protection for one year to everyone affected. The governor has called for an overhaul of the state's cybersecurity systems for all agencies.
Safety precautions
The state is offering free credit monitoring and identity protection services. Officials also suggest additional steps to protect your identity and financial information:
Regularly review credit reports.
Place fraud alerts with the three credit bureaus.
Place a security freeze on financial and credit information with the three credit bureaus.
Charleston cyber-security expert John LaCour echoed those tips and “absolutely” recommended his fellow South Carolinians take advantage of the Experian offer. LaCour, founder and president of PhishLabs, did note, however, that the offer includes only monitoring and notification, not insurance.
“If someone steals your identity, you're not going to get any money back from that service,” he said.
Who to contact
Anyone who has filed a S.C. tax return since 1998 is urged to call 1-866-578-5422. A website, protectmyid.com/scdor, has been set up for affected taxpayers to enroll in the free Experian service. An access code will be provided at the toll-free number.
Direct links to credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
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