Wisconsin residents who get their cellphone service through T-Mobile are currently facing a high risk of identity theft. T-Mobile disclosed this week that 37 million of its customers had their private information compromised by a hacker or hackers who were accessing the data from November 25, 2022 through January 5, 2023. This is reported to be the 8th time since 2018 that T-Mobile customers' data has been released or put at risk.
The information obtained could include customers' names, addresses, emails, phone numbers, account numbers, and date of birth, as well as unspecified information about the customers' accounts. Experts have noted that release of even partial private information can result in identity theft and significant damages and harm because it can be combined with other information already available, making the situation precarious for people who use T-Mobile services.
T-Mobile has not at present identified any steps it has taken or will take to protect customers or compensate them for damages. Victims of data breaches may find money taken from accounts, credit accounts used without their knowledge, new accounts opened using their information, and a host of other problems. Even if no immediate damage occurs, victims sometimes face years of costly credit monitoring and worrying about what might happen.
Wisconsin offers significant protection for consumers that are unique to our state. Lawton Cates is a recognized leader in consumer protection litigation. If you are a T-Mobile customer, contact our office for a free consultation to learn your rights.