Attorney General Richard Blumenthal today announced that he is seeking more details about a data breach at Educational Credit Management Corporation (ECMC) that may have exposed personal information on 3.3 million federal student loan borrowers, including hundreds of thousands from Connecticut.
Minnesota law enforcement officials announced that they have recovered the stolen data and arrested a suspect in the data theft case, but Blumenthal said questions remain about the extent of the breach, how it happened and whether the personal data was illegally shared or distributed before it was recovered.
Blumenthal has sent ECMC a second letter this week seeking additional information by the end of this week, including a detailed explanation to support the company’s public claims that it does not believe the stolen information has been compromised.
“Millions of students — including many in Connecticut — are still in doubt that their identities and finances are secure,†Blumenthal said. “This data recovery and arrest are good news — but personal financial information may have already been leaked or looted.
“My office wants to know what caused this massive breach, how information will be protected going forward — and assurances that 3.3 million federal student loan borrowers will be fully protected from financial abuse.â€
Blumenthal’s questions include:
• How many DVDs were stored in each of the stolen safes
• Wast the stolen information encrypted?
• Does ECMC have an encryption policy and — if so — what is it?
• If the files stolen were unencrypted, then why?
• How long does ECMC retain files containing personally identifiable information and for what purpose?
• Explain and provide support for ECMC’s representation on its website that “it does not appear that the personally identifiable information on ECMC’s 3.3 million federal student loan borrowers has been compromised.â€
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I received a letter the other day from ECMC. It alarmed me that these people would still have my records and information since 1970. Please let me know where to go to find out how long they keep records on file.
thank you.
Because of this, maybe now is a good to begin using students loans to gain value.You know I have a reason behind everything.
Mr. Bruce W. Barren & Monique F. Lis (Student & victim) have sent a letter to all news media regarding the theft at ECMC. Class action suit pending to pass new legislation on “Identity Theft”. Please visit http://www.emcohanover.com, click on “Press Release” to view letter.or contact: OurPrivacyRights@aol.com
You may contact either Bruce Barren or Monique Lis for further details. Students welcome to write us.
Thank you,
Bruce Barren and Monique Lis
IsECMC notifying everyone via letter that there was this breach and are they paying for those individuals to have their credit monitored by Experian etc. That is the usual standard isn’t it?
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal sent a second letter to ECMC seeking additional information about the theft. Giving ECMC a week to respond. This occured April 20. It is now May 6 and still no information on the final report from ECMC. Why is this taking so long?
Perhaps it was an inside job? Maybe the suspect they arrested wasn’t a former employee, but what about their “partner in crime?” Why do the victims have to wait this long to know if we shall be safe or not! Always having to look over our shoulders?
If you wish to file a Class-Action suite against ECMC and get a Bill passed through Congress to better protect our “Identities” visit: http://www.emcohanover.com Scroll down to “Press Releases” then click on “The Sky is Falling” and the other two letters above it. You may leave your information and a coment. We will keep you abreast as to any developments.
We have written a letter to the Attorney General and have yet to hear back from his office.
Why are the victim’s voices not being heard? We hear from ECMC’s spokesperson and the authorities….our cries seem to be fading into the dust and the dust is being swept under the carpet as time passes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Monique Lis & Bruce Barren http://www.emcohanover.com