Identity theft is a multi-billion dollar problem. Although many companies have responded to this threat appropriately, some continue to risk theft of the sensitive personal information entrusted to them by consumers. Unfortunately, it appears that Facebook may have failed to adequately protect the privacy and sensitive information of tens of millions of its users.
On September 28, 2018, Facebook revealed that nearly 50 million Facebook users accounts were hacked by cybercriminals. According to Facebook, the attackers like accessed these accounts by exploiting a flaw in Facebook’s code that exposed user access tokens. Facebook’s statement states that the company does not know the origin or identity of the attackers, nor had it fully assessed the scope of the attack.
Data thieves intentionally hack into inadequately protected servers to steal personal information with the primary incentive of using that private data to commit identity theft and financial fraud. Identity theft wreaks havoc on consumers’ finances, credit history, and reputation and can take time, money, and patience to resolve. Identity thieves use stolen personal information for a variety of crimes, including credit card fraud, phone or utilities fraud, banking or finance fraud, government fraud, and medical identity theft. Moreover, a person whose personal information has been compromised may not see the full extent of identity theft or fraud for years.
Disclosure of personal information is unlawful, and the attorneys at Finkelstein, Blankinship, Frei-Pearson & Garber, LLP have successfully brought lawsuits on behalf of victims of such disclosures. If you believe that your personal information may have been compromised by the breach of Facebook’s network, please contact FBFG to explore your rights.