The recent Restaurant Depot/Jetro breach that I reported on Dec. 7 provides a timely example of the issue of unreimbursed harm that consumers grapple with on a daily basis. As I continue to follow media coverage on that breach, it is clear that not only is there financial impact of this breach (the hacked card numbers…
Month: December 2011
AU: Bank of Melbourne in privacy breach
Fran Foo reports: A technical glitch at Westpac’s Bank of Melbourne has inadvertently exposed sensitive customer information to other clients. The problem has resulted in some people requesting new credit cards. Although it apologised for the mistake, one Bank of Melbourne business customer, who received a vague letter of explanation from the bank, expressed shock…
Former RadioShack worker pleads guilty to using customer’s info for identity theft
Dianna Hunt reports: A former RadioShack customer service representative pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to stealing customers’ personal information while trying to resolve their problems. Youlanda Rochelle Wright used the information to file a false income tax return in a client’s name to get a refund of $3,654, according to court records. Wright entered…
Supreme Court Denies Petition for Review in Suit Over Disclosure of Medical Records
The U.S. Supreme Court Dec. 12 said it will not review a California Supreme Court decision that held the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) does not preclude a lawsuit alleging a debt collector disclosed medical records in violation of a California medical information privacy statute (Mortensen v. Brown, U.S., No. 11-434, review denied). The…
KY: JCPS Mails Students’ Tests to Wrong Addresses
After Jefferson County Public Schools mailed around 6,500 ACT Explore 8th grade test scores to wrong addresses, the district is now asking parents to shred tests they’ve received that contain another child’s score. JCPS officials recognized the error on Wednesday after parents called, wondering why they were mailed scores for children who weren’t theirs. “Parents…
Ca: BC Transplant investigates privacy breach
BC Transplant has initiated an internal investigation into a recent privacy breach. According to a news release, issued Thursday morning, a BC Transplant staff member’s car was broken into after business hours. As a result of this criminal act, a bag containing patient information and staff contact information was stolen. The staff member filed a…