Data of 40 million plus exposed in latest T-Mobile breach

[Kirk W]

Quote

The names, Social Security numbers and information from driver’s licenses or other identification of just over 40 million people who applied for T-Mobile credit were exposed in a recent data breach, the company said Wednesday

Data of 40 million plus exposed in latest T-Mobile breach

By MATT O'BRIEN AP Technology Writer

August 18, 2021, 1:35 PM

[RV_]

We tried them and dropped them within five days. The T-Mobile store gave us free phones where Verizon would not. T-Mobile could not make their new phones work for us, and I was there for 6 hours on Saturday and 5 hours on Sunday and the next day we got out because we had no phone service.

We ported out to Straight talk then found US Mobile and never had a problem with our Moto Z3 phones with Verizon, Straight Talk, or US mobile. They have serious issues with their computers and are in no hurry to do refunds.

I am sorry for anyone who uses that particular T-Mobile store as their people are incompetent. YMMV

[Jinx & Wayne]

13 hours ago, RV_ said:

We tried them and dropped them within five days. The T-Mobile store gave us free phones where Verizon would not. T-Mobile could not make their new phones work for us, and I was there for 6 hours on Saturday and 5 hours on Sunday and the next day we got out because we had no phone service.

So you are probably part of the data breach, too.

Wayne & Jinx
2017 F-350 diesel, dually
2006 Carriage Carri-Lite 36KSQ

[RV_]

Yep, I think so Wayne. You?

 

[sandsys]

Me, too; I had T-Mobile for years because they were the only one at that time you could use in Europe. Not that I used it there but I liked knowing I could.

Linda

[Chalkie]

Y'all do know there is a T-Mobile CREDIT card and there is the "credit" you get for a phone purchase. One lets you purchase on credit anywhere, the other is just basically a pay as you plan to purchase a phone. Both appear to effected. Now depending on your plan you may have protection built in via VPN and A/V programs. I would contact my credit rating bureaus no make sure they know, although I suspect they knew before any public announcement. There is nothing secret if it is in anyway connected to or accessible by the internet. Period! All you can do is take precautions ad trust in the insurances you may have.

[Pappy Yokum]

The precautions you *don't* want:  The Good, Bad, and UGLY !!

Good = a few years ago, I placed a credit freeze with the 3 credit reporting bureaus.  Easy to do, you have a password to remove (or pause) the freeze.  Actually did a pause a couple of times. Worked well.

Call the bureau/s, choose the length of the pause you want.  "Done" either immediately or by the following day.

Bad = Placing the freezes was ultimately a bad mistake - with ugly consequences!

Ugly = (Why?)  Along comes Covid.  I needed to remove the credit freeze for a credit check.  All going smoothly with Equifax & TransUnion.....until Experian.  The phone numbers I had used previously were of no help.

However - Wow! - There's a major Experian office a few miles away.  I'll just go there in person (with pw & lots of ID) to solve the problem.  Bad omen!  Giant park lot - *very* empty!  Hmmm....?? -  go in the multi story bldg.  Security guard & an employee inform me it's closed, but I can try a different office in a nearby city - although there might not be anybody there either!  Fortunately, they did give me a phone number which would eventually work (Allen, TX).  Note:  *Eventually* !!   (LOTS of "on hold" time!)

After about two weeks, I received a confirmation the freeze had been permanently removed.

Glad I didn't need immediate help to remove or pause the freeze.  No more "freezes" for me.

Lesson learned =  pay the fee for Lifelock  -and/or- regularly check your credit report!

~

 

 

 

 

[Jinx & Wayne]

15 hours ago, RV_ said:

Yep, I think so Wayne. You?

I'm trying to find out. Do you know the date the fixed the problem?  I think not because we didn't have T-Mobile until we added one of their 100GB hotspots a week ago.

Wayne & Jinx
2017 F-350 diesel, dually
2006 Carriage Carri-Lite 36KSQ

[Jinx & Wayne]

13 hours ago, Chalkie said:

There is nothing secret if it is in anyway connected to or accessible by the internet. Period! 

And anything you post is FOREVER.

Wayne & Jinx
2017 F-350 diesel, dually
2006 Carriage Carri-Lite 36KSQ

[RV_]

Wayne it isn't fixed. As well they just merged their online systems with Sprint. That was when I had no phone service from them as a new customer. This article is from three days ago. E

Excerpt:

"Details of the breach were first reported by Vice, based on a forum post claiming to have obtained data on more than 100 million people from T-Mobile's servers.

This is the third time in recent years T-Mobile has been hit by a data breach. The wireless carrier reported similar exposures of data in 2018 and 2019."

Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2021/08/18/tmobile-breach-2021-data-compromised/8176700002/

 

[RV_]

14 hours ago, Pappy Yokum said:

Bad = Placing the freezes was ultimately a bad mistake - with ugly consequences!

Ugly = (Why?)  Along comes Covid.  I needed to remove the credit freeze for a credit check.  All going smoothly with Equifax & TransUnion.....until Experian.  The phone numbers I had used previously were of no help.

 

 

I have all my credit reporting agencies frozen. I had my new ISP here make a big deal on the phone that without a credit check they would not give service. I asked if they didn't still take a deposit instead if requested. She had to look it up and talk to a supervisor and told me it would be $100.00. I guess she thought we were covering up bad credit. I said fine and paid it by credit card. A year later I requested and received a $100 refund.

When we opened a local bank account as a backup, they needed to do a credit check so I went online to do a 24 hour release and get a code number. They had access for only 24 hours.

I don't call the Credit Reporting Agencies ever. Too long wait times before COVID so I believe you had a very hard time. I have all my passwords and links to each Credit reporting agency air-gapped on two removable drives. (Not on any online computer)

It took longer to attach the drive to look it up than to actually do a 24 hour release and get issued a code for the new bank to use to access a credit check last year. We just closed that account as we are changing banks from USAA bank has given us terrible service with untrained representatives since a CEO change a while back. I can recommend their insurance to a point because the USAA insurance Reps seem to have a higher percentage of folks with some experience or training.

The USAA bank is not a credit union but a federal savings bank. And acts like it. We'll see if Navy is any better. So far I'm only impressed with their CC rewards and much better but still terrible savings account rates.

But moving banks and getting new cards takes no credit check, just depositing the funds.

I still think freezing my credit agencies is the right move for us as we are not actively seeking or using credit. But if one has notes to pay and are still using credit I suggest using their online services. BTW Even Experian et al have had breaches.

I'm glad you weren't in a hurry and got it done.

Different strokes for different folks. I just wanted to relate my experience doing it online not by phone or in person. Very fast and easy.

 

 

 

[fpmtngal]

I got a text yesterday informing me that some of my data has been compromised - name, address, phone number and DOB.   They go on to say that “NO information indicates that my SSN, personal financial or payment information, credit/debit card formation, account numbers or account passwords were accessed.”

I’ve been a T-Mobile customer (pay monthly, not prepaid) for years, they were the only cell service where my home was for a long time.  I’ve been very happy with them.

I don’t have a credit freeze, but there is a possible fraud alert.  Almost a year ago I had thought I had fallen for a phishing text, but later found out that it was legit.  There were two different systems involved and the two didn’t talk to each other, making me think I had gone somewhere I shouldn’t have.  I left the alert on my account.

Data breaches seem to be inevitable - my data (some sort of it) has been involved in at least 3 or 4 big data breaches.