JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has launched an investigation into National Public Data, a company designed to conduct background checks. The move comes amid reports last week of a widespread data breach.
Hackers claim to have stolen the personal data of every American, including birthdays and Social Security numbers. It’s expected up to 2.7 billion personal records may have been exposed in an April data breach.
Bailey says the investigation will focus on allegations that National Public Data failed to properly secure and safeguard Missourians’ personally-identifiable information prior to the breach.
“I will always fight for Missouri consumers, especially if their personal information was stolen by bad actors,” said Bailey via a news release. “Companies have a duty under the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act to safeguard Missourians’ personally identifiable information, and Missourians deserve to know whether their information is at risk. No stone will be left unturned in this investigation.”
For Missourians who believe they may have been affected by this data breach, Bailey asks them to call his office’s consumer protection hotline at 1-800-392-8222 or submit a complaint online.
