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Last updated on Wednesday, September 20, 2017
(WASHINGTON, D.C.0 - U.S. Senators Joe Donnelly (D-IN) and Dean Heller (R-NV) are asking Equifax Inc. to detail the actions being taken by the company to protect service members’ personal information in light of the recent Equifax data breach. They sent a letter today to Equifax CEO Richard Smith.
The Senators said, in part, in their letter, "We are deeply troubled to learn of the recent Equifax data breach...We are particularly concerned about the roughly 1.3 million active-duty U.S. military personnel, especially the nearly 200,000 currently stationed overseas, who may lack the access and resources required to place a credit freeze on their files or take other necessary measures to adequately protect their personal information.
"We request that you immediately detail the specific actions Equifax will take to ensure our servicemembers are not victimized any further by thieves with access to personal information..."
Read below for the full text of the letter.
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Mr. Richard F. Smith
Chief Executive Officer
Equifax Inc.
Dear Mr. Smith,
We are deeply troubled to learn of the recent Equifax data breach, which has compromised the personal information of as many as 143 million Americans. It is imperative that you immediately take every possible step to ensure consumers and their credit files are protected from any further financial risks or intrusions on their privacy.
We are particularly concerned about the roughly 1.3 million active-duty U.S. military personnel, especially the nearly 200,000 currently stationed overseas, who may lack the access and resources required to place a credit freeze on their files or take other necessary measures to adequately protect their personal information. This could leave members of our military especially vulnerable to identity theft and financial fraud in the days, months, and years ahead.
In fact, that is why the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) has been a critical tool to protect active duty military members because our country recognizes the demands already placed on these individuals as they carry out missions abroad, particularly when serving in remote or high-conflict areas like the Middle East and parts of Africa.
We request that you immediately detail the specific actions Equifax will take to ensure our servicemembers are not victimized any further by thieves with access to personal information such as Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and home addresses. Our servicemembers and millions of Americans are now at risk, and it is incumbent on you to minimize the damage and remedy this wrong. We look forward to your timely response by October 6, 2017.
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