<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif;font-size:small"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">*CONSUMER ALERT*</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif;font-size:small"><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">*Statement from Attorney General Frosh on Equifax Data Breach*</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">*BALTIMORE, MD (September 8, 2017) *- Maryland Attorney General Brian E. </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">Frosh today issued the following statement regarding the Equifax data </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">breach, affecting approximately 143 million Americans.</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">*"This data breach is one of the most alarming we've seen. The number of </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">Americans impacted is enormous. I am deeply concerned that Equifax seems to </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">be charging victims for services to identify and protect themselves from </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">damages relating to the breach. It would compound the outrage if Equifax </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">was profiting from its failure to maintain safely all of the data in its </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">charge. *</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif;font-size:small"><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">*"My office has reached out to Equifax and is seeking answers to understand </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">the circumstances that led to the breach. Equifax must disclose the reasons </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">for the apparent delay between the breach and the company's public </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">announcement, what protections the company had in place at the time of the </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">breach, and why it appears to be attempting to profit from its own </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">negligence. We will be closely monitoring the company's response to ensure </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">that Maryland consumers are protected.  I urge consumers to take necessary </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">steps to prevent any misuse of their information, while my office continues </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">to investigate this massive data breach."*</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><br></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif;font-size:small"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">*BACKGROUND*</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><br></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif;font-size:small"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">On September 7, 2017, Equifax publicized that the company experienced a</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">data breach. According to the company, the breach lasted from mid-May</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">through July of 2017. The data </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">breach exposed full names, Social Security Numbers, birth dates, addresses, </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">and driver's license numbers.  For another 209,000 consumers, it also </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">included credit card information.</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">The Equifax data breach puts consumers at risk for new account fraud, since</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">it exposes personal information necessary to open new accounts at any point</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">in the future. This information can be used to take out loans, open new</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">credit accounts and other illegal and potentially damaging actions.</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">Attorney General Frosh encourages consumers to take the following steps:</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">- Check your credit reports from all three of the major creditreporting </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">agencies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Reports can be obtained for </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">FREE by </span><a href="http://visitingwww.annualcreditreport.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">visitingwww.<wbr>annualcreditreport.com</a><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">. </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">Unrecognizable accounts or activity could indicate identity theft.</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif;font-size:small"><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">- Consider placing a credit freeze on your files. A credit freeze makes </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">it harder for someone to open a new account in your name. Keep in mind that </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">credit freezes must be obtained from each of the credit reporting agencies, </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">and cost $5 from each credit agency.  A credit freeze won't prevent a thief </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">from making charges to your existing accounts, such as debit and credit </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">cards. Parents or guardians of minor children may also place a credit</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"> freeze on behalf of their child. For more information on how to obtain a </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">credit freeze, please visit </span><a href="http://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/Pages/IdentityTheft/freezing.aspx" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">http://www.marylandattorneygen</a><a href="http://eral.gov/Pages/IdentityTheft/freezing.aspx" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">eral.gov/Pages/IdentityTheft/<wbr>freezing.aspx</a></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif;font-size:small"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><br></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif;font-size:small"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">- Monitor your existing credit card and bank accounts closely for </span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">changes you do not recognize.</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif;font-size:small"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><br></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style=""><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">- Visit </span><a href="http://www.identitytheft.gov/databreach" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">www.identitytheft.gov/<wbr>databreach</a><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif"> </font><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">to</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"> learn more.</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">Equifax appears to be offering consumers one year of free credit</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">monitoring. However, Attorney General Frosh is still analyzing the terms</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">attached to that offer, and cannot yet endorse consumers exercising this</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">option. Consumers who go this route should be careful not to accidentally</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">sign up for Equifax's paid service. If you are asked to enter your full</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">Social Security Number, do not proceed.  Their free offer only asks for</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">your last name and the last 6 digits of your Social Security Number.</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">The Office of the Attorney General recommends that consumers review their</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">account statements, online accounts, and credit files regularly for</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">suspicious activity. If consumers feel they have been harmed and want to</span><br style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">file a complaint, please call our Identity Theft Unit at * 1-888-743-0023</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">*, or visit our website at www.marylandattorneygeneral.go</span><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px">v</span><br clear="all"></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif;font-size:small"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><br></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif;font-size:small"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13.6px"><br></span></div><div><div class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" size="1"><b><font color="#674ea7">Sarah Wayland, Ph.D. | </font><a href="http://www.GuidingExceptionalParents.com" target="_blank"><font color="#0000ff">www.GuidingExceptionalParents.com</font></a><br><font color="#674ea7">Supporting students with learning differences & their families</font></b><br></font></div></div><div dir="ltr"><div><font color="#674ea7" face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" size="1"><br></font></div><div><div style="font-size:13.6px"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" size="1"><font color="#674ea7">Challenging child? 10 Session Parent Child Journey classes can help!  </font></font></div><div style="font-size:13.6px"><span style="color:rgb(103,78,167);font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif;font-size:x-small">Starting September 13th in Annapolis: </span><font color="#674ea7" face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" size="1"><a href="http://guidingexceptionalparents.com/Presentations.html" target="_blank">guidingexceptionalparents.com/Presentations.html</a></font><br></div><div dir="ltr" style="font-size:13.6px"><div style="font-size:13.6px"><font color="#674ea7" face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" size="1">Learn more: <a href="http://parentchildjourney.com/journey/" target="_blank">parentchildjourney.com/journey/</a></font><a href="http://www.parentchildjourney.com/journey/" target="_blank"><br></a></div><div><font color="#674ea7" face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" size="1"><br></font></div><div style="font-size:13.6px"><font color="#674ea7" face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" size="1">Book Club - October 16th - <i>Far From the Tree</i> by Andrew Solomon</font></div><div style="font-size:13.6px"><span style="color:rgb(103,78,167);font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif;font-size:x-small">More Info: </span><a href="https://guidingexceptionalparents.com/Presentations.html#BookClub" style="font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif;font-size:x-small" target="_blank">https://guidingexceptionalparents.com/Presentations.html#BookClub</a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
</div>