Great Lakes Wire

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has issued a warning to Michigan consumers regarding a significant data breach that has impacted millions of current and former AT&T customers nationwide. Nessel advised individuals to take immediate steps to safeguard their information from potential scammers and identity thieves.

"If you have ever held an account with AT&T, we strongly recommend you take simple precautions now to protect yourself against this significant breach," Nessel stated. "All customers who receive notice should take this seriously, this data is already available on the dark web, which indicates the involvement of fraudsters and criminals."

AT&T disclosed that a large dataset containing customer account information, including Social Security numbers and PIN passcodes, was released on the dark web, affecting approximately 7.6 million current AT&T account holders and over 60 million former account holders. The dataset is believed to be from 2019 or earlier and may have compromised additional information such as full names, email addresses, mailing addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, and AT&T account numbers.

The Attorney General highlighted the importance of taking immediate action to secure personal data, emphasizing the need for both current and former customers to update login credentials and passwords across all accounts. Nessel also mentioned that Michigan law does not mandate companies to inform the Attorney General's office of data breaches, and the exact number of affected Michigan consumers remains unknown.

Nessel recommended that individuals monitor for phishing emails, strengthen passwords, avoid retaining unnecessary data, implement multifactor authentication, consider credit locks, and regularly review credit reports to mitigate potential risks. The Department of Attorney General and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission offer resources and guidance to assist consumers in protecting themselves during such incidents.

"My department has resources available online to help those impacted, and my consumer protection team is ready to assist any Michigan resident who may become a victim of identity theft due to this breach," Nessel assured.

In light of the data breach, consumers are encouraged to proactively safeguard their information and remain vigilant against potential fraudulent activities. Further information and assistance can be obtained by contacting the Consumer Protection Team or filing a complaint with the Attorney General's office.