Posted by eXpedN_TX on 12/20/05 11:12am
Msg #83642

Mortgage company loses customer data

This is scary!

Mortgage company loses customer data
01:59 AM CST on Saturday, December 17, 2005
By STEVE STOLER / WFAA-TV

One of the nation's largest mortgage companies has some troubling news for its two million customers.

ABN AMRO Mortgage Group said it has lost information about their accounts—including names, payment history and social security numbers.

A computer tape the company shipped from its Chicago data center to Experian, a credit reporting company in Allen, never arrived at its destination.

ABN AMRO Mortgage sent a letter to its two million customers with home loans, including 100,000 in Texas and about 7,000 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

"As a result of our investigation, we've determined the information did not reach its destination, and is missing and presumed lost," said ABN AMRO chairman Tom Goldstein.
Realtor Alane Beard of Frisco is one of ABN AMRO's customers. "Our biggest concern is that someone is going to have our information and clean out our bank accounts," she said. "It only takes a little bit of information to do years worth of damage."

The mortgage company sent the tape out on Nov. 18 via DHL couriers. Three days later, ABN AMRO contacted Experian officials, who said they never received the data.

A DHL spokesman told News 8 the company investigated the missing package, but uncovered no error in protocol or indications that contents of the shipment have been disclosed for any improper use.

"I would like our customers to know that I truly regret that this might cause concern and inconvenience," Goldstein said. "I also want them to know that since the start of this event, they have—and will continue to be—our first priority."

ABN AMRO executives stopped the physical shipment of computer tapes immediately. from now on, they plan to transfer customer information electronically by what they describe as secure and encrypted means.

Reply by Tina_MA on 12/20/05 11:17am
Msg #83644

>>>"A computer tape the company shipped from its Chicago data center to Experian, a credit reporting company in Allen, never arrived at its destination."<<<


Hmmm, sounds like some criminal's wet dream has just come true.

Reply by CarolynCO on 12/20/05 2:08pm
Msg #83693

Includes CO, too. Good ole' DHL, and people wonder why I won't use them to ship!!!

Reply by PAW_Fl on 12/20/05 2:19pm
Msg #83694

DHL's response ...

DHL said it regretted it had been unable to find the package and was investigating, searching its network and facilities. "Although we have not yet closed the investigation, to date we have uncovered no error in protocol, indications that this package was stolen or that the information contained in it has been used in fraudulent activity," said DHL's U.S. spokesman Jonathan Baker.

No error in protocol? Then how can it be lost? DHL = Don't Have Logic

Reply by CarolynCO on 12/20/05 2:29pm
Msg #83696

Re: DHL's response ...

We received our letters from the mortgage company yesterday indicating how sorry they are for this mishap. Sorry, yeah, right! They have also alerted federal law enforcement and will pay for credit monitoring for 90 days.

Included in their "apology for any inconvenience or concerns this may cause" they included a reference guide for identify theft. I just now called Equifax who will contact Experian and TransUnion to put a fraud alert on our credit file for 90 days. If anyone tries to open any new accounts using our names or social security numbers, we will first have to be contacted.

What a PITA this is going to turn out to be.

Reply by CarolynCO on 12/20/05 2:32pm
Msg #83698

Re: oops -- phone numbers

To put a fraud alert on your credit file:

Equifax is 800-525-6285
Experian is 888-397-3742
TransUnion is 800-680-7289

They say you only have to contact one and that one will contact the other two.

Reply by CarolynCO on 12/20/05 2:34pm
Msg #83700

Re: PAW

I know you've been through identity theft before -- I've put a fraud alert on my husband and my credit file. Do I also need to alert social security of ABN-AMROs and DHL's snafu? Thanks.

Reply by PAW_Fl on 12/20/05 3:35pm
Msg #83716

Re: PAW

I alerted everyone I could think of. Every credit card bank, mortgage company, checking account bank, etc. that I ever had done business with. I also notified the IRS and SSA and DoD (since I'm retired military). I don't know what all happened once they were notified, as there was very little communications from them. (It all happened 13 years ago!)