Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge urges all Arkansas residents who believe they were impacted by the massive data breach announced by T-Mobile in August 2021 to take appropriate steps to protect their information from identity theft.
On August 17th, 2021, T-Mobile reported a massive data breach compromising the sensitive personal information of millions of current, former, and prospective T-Mobile customers. The breach impacted more than 53 million individuals, including 210,585 Arkansas residents. Some T-Mobile customers had their names, dates of birth, Social Security Numbers, and driver’s license information compromised and listed for sale on the dark web—a hidden portion of the Internet where cybercriminals buy, sell, and track personal information and other illicit content. Individuals impacted by this breach are at heightened risk for identity theft.
“T-Mobile customers should utilize extra caution in the coming months when monitoring their credit and other personal information,” said Attorney General Leslie Rutledge. “It is important that T-Mobile customers follow these steps to ensure that their private information remains secure.”
- Monitor your credit. Credit monitoring services track your credit report and alert you whenever a change is made, such as a new account or a large purchase. Most services will notify you within 24 hours of any change to your credit report.
- Consider placing a free credit freeze on your credit report. Identity thieves will not be able to open a new credit account in your name while the freeze is in place. You can place a credit freeze by contacting each of the three major credit bureaus:
- Equifax | (888) 766-0008
- Experian | (888) 397-3742
- TransUnion | (800) 680-7289
- Place a fraud alert on your credit report. A fraud alert tells lenders and creditors to take extra steps to verify your identity before issuing credit. You can place a fraud alert by contacting any one of the three major credit bureaus.
- Additional Resources. If you believe you are a victim of identity theft, visit identitytheft.gov for assistance reporting and recovering from identity theft. You may also find more information by visiting the Attorney General’s office identity theft protection page here.
For tips to avoid scams or assistance with other consumer-related issues, contact the Arkansas Attorney General’s office at [email protected] or visit ArkansasAG.gov.
About Attorney General Leslie Rutledge
Leslie Carol Rutledge is the 56th Attorney General of Arkansas. Elected on November 4, 2014, and sworn in on January 13, 2015, she is the first woman and first Republican in Arkansas history to be elected as Attorney General. She was resoundingly re-elected on November 6, 2018. Since taking office, she has significantly increased the number of arrests and convictions against online predators who exploit children and con artists who steal taxpayer money through Social Security Disability and Medicaid fraud. Further, she has held Rutledge Roundtable meetings and Mobile Office hours in every county of the State each year, and launched a Military and Veterans Initiative. She has led efforts to roll back government regulations that hurt job creators, fight the opioid epidemic, teach internet safety, combat domestic violence and make the office the top law firm for Arkansans. Rutledge serves on committees for Consumer Protection, Criminal Law and Veterans Affairs for the National Association of Attorneys General. She also served as the former Chairwoman of the Republican Attorneys General Association.
A native of Batesville, she is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. Rutledge clerked for the Arkansas Court of Appeals, was Deputy Counsel for former Governor Mike Huckabee, served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Lonoke County and was an Attorney at the Department of Human Services before serving as Counsel at the Republican National Committee. Rutledge and her husband, Boyce, have one daughter. The family has a home in Pulaski County and a farm in Crittenden County.
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