TENNESSEE DATA BREACH EXPOSES OVER 6,000 TEACHER’S PERSONAL INFO
A former employee of the state of Tennessee downloaded over 6,000 teacher’s personal information, according to authorities. The employee, Steven Hunter, claimed the information was downloaded on a laptop so he could work from home. Mr. Hunter was previously warned about his lax data security, but disregarded state policies and emailed state employees’ personal information to his personal email account.
According to the Department of Treasury and the TBI, Mr. Hunter downloaded social security numbers, full names and dates of birth on active Metro Nashville teachers. The transfer of personal information by Mr. Hunter violated Tennessee law and the department’s privacy policy, according to the Treasury Department. To date, Mr. Hunter has not been arrested or charged with a crime.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) allows consumers to order their free credit reports if they believe they are a victim of fraud or identity theft. Consumers may also add a 90 day and 7 year fraud alert. The federal law also allows consumers to dispute credit report errors, including names, accounts and inquiries. For more information about your rights under the FCRA, contact us at 1-800-263-9091 for a free case review.