Today, it’s not uncommon for companies with whom people do very casual business – cellular phone companies, Internet service providers, etc. – to have some very sensitive information about their clients. For example, Social Security numbers are routinely used as forms of identification and many companies require that information in order to open an account.
With so many stories in the news on an almost constant basis about security, it’s easy to see why some people may have worries about whether they should share this information with companies and what they can do in the event that the company actually miss handles that information.
In some cases, it may be possible to go after the company responsible for mishandling information with a lawsuit.
Misuse
According to an article in Reuters, financial giant J.P. Morgan has been hit with a lawsuit over mishandling Social Security numbers. The lawsuit was filed by a Buffalo Grove, Illinois resident who alleges that the financial company sent him preprinted forms that contained his Social Security number, address and other vital information. The information was allegedly sent with the numbers on the outside, opening up opportunities for identity theft, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit further alleges that the plaintiff in the lawsuit complained about the issue and that the bank said that they would fix the issue right away. He received more communications from the bank with his Social Security number printed on the front, just as he complained about, according to the lawsuit.
Social Security numbers are among the most vital pieces of information that identity thieves want. The lawsuit is a class-action lawsuit and it will represent anybody who received communications from the bank that had their Social Security numbers printed on the outside, according to the article. Further, according to the article, there could be millions of people who were affected by this and who had their security endangered because of it.
Selling Info
It’s common for companies to sell marketing information, trade very detailed information about customers and clients and to engage in other activities that customers and clients of those companies may actually find objectionable. If you do believe that a company has mishandled your information and has done so in a way that has put you at risk or that has actually caused you to come to some sort of harm, be sure to speak to an attorney about filing a lawsuit.