Posted on Fri, May. 01, 2009 10:15 PM (Source: http://www.kansascity.com/business/story/1174408.html)

LexisNexis warns 32,000 people about data breach

The LexisNexis online information service Friday told 32,000 people that their personal information might have been improperly accessed by former customers.

Postal officials said at least some of the information appeared to have been used in a credit card fraud scheme that had bilked about 300 people.

“I am writing to inform you that sensitive, personally identifiable information about you may have been viewed by a few individuals who should not have access to such information,” said the letter mailed Friday to people whose information is in LexisNexis databases.

The breach came at the databases at New York-based LexisNexis and at a Santa Fe, N.M., company, Investigative Professionals, which conducts background checks, including employee screenings.

The personal information of the 300 victims, all of whom have been notified by postal authorities, was used fraudulently. The suspects in the scheme had access to information on 40,000 people.

LexisNexis said the information — including names, birth dates and Social Security numbers — was used to set up fake credit cards. The thieves, who operated businesses that were once LexisNexis customers, broke into mailboxes of businesses that contained LexisNexis database information.

| The Associated Press

Contact US @ info@caribtelnetworks.com or call us 1-561-542-1533