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Data breach hits LexisNexis

About 300 consumers' personal information has been used in a crime, 30,000 people vulnerable.

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By Thomas Gnau, Staff Writer Updated 10:16 PM Wednesday, May 6, 2009

MIAMI TWP. — The U.S. Postal inspection Service is notifying more than 30,000 people that their personal information may have been compromised in a data breach by former LexisNexis customers.

At this point, the number of consumers whose personal information was known to have been used in a crime is about 300 people across the United States, Peter Rendina, a U.S. postal inspector, said Wednesday, May 6. The rest are thought to be vulnerable, he said.

Asked if suspects have been caught, Rendina said the investigation continues, adding, “We may have good news for you soon.”

LexisNexis is alerting 32,000 consumers concerning fraud committed by former customers — businesses — of LexisNexis and ChoicePoint, a data aggregation company owned by LexisNexis parent Reed Elsevier. (Neither LexisNexis nor the postal service named the businesses thought to be behind the fraud.)

In its own letter, which LexisNexis shared, LexisNexis says thieves used “fraudulently opened mail boxes at commercial mail-receiving businesses” and personal information via LexisNexis to obtain fraudulent credit cards.

“The unauthorized access to personal information by the former LexisNexis customers may have occurred sometime between June 14, 2004, and Oct. 10, 2007, and the information accessed may have included your name, date of birth, and/or Social Security number,” the LexisNexis letter says.

LexisNexis is offering those receiving its letter a free year of credit monitoring by ConsumerInfo.com.

The investigation could not be revealed sooner, Rendina said, calling the suspects being pursued “smart criminals.”

“They would have moved on to another (information) source,” Rendina said of the suspects. “They would have changed their M.O. (mode of operation)”

Citing unnamed sources, CBS News reported that the breach is linked to what it called a “Nigerian scam artist.”

The service encourages people to review credit reports and statements carefully. Consumers are encouraged to report errors and suspicious changes as soon as possible.

If fraudulent accounts have been opened, the service may be contacted at (877) 876-2455.

In 2005, another LexisNexis data breach led to the theft of information from 310,000 people.

LexisNexis, based in New York, has 3,000 employees at its Miami Twp. campus off Ohio 741.

What to do

If you’re concerned about your personal information:

Review credit statements and monitor credit reports.
Notify creditors of errors or suspicious activity as soon as possible.
Place a security alert on your credit reports.
Contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at (877) 876-2455 if fraudulent accounts have been opened using your personal information.

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