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Was Your Info Made Public by the State Comptroller's Office?

Digital information of 3.5 million Texans, including Social Security numbers, was on a computer server that was publicly available.
Photo by Don Hankins http://www.flickr.com/photos/23905174@N00/1594411528/
Digital information of 3.5 million Texans, including Social Security numbers, was on a computer server that was publicly available.

Today, the Texas State Comptroller's Office starts mailing out letters to everyone affected by the security breach that left 3.5 million personal information files publicly accessible online. 

The breach means everyone who is a member of the Teachers Retirement System of Texas, the Public Employees Retirement System of Texas,  or the Texas Workforce Commission likely had their information made public,  Comptroller of Public Account's spokesperson Allen Spelce confirmed in an interview with KUT.

To find out if your information was compromised call 1-855-474-2065.

The office has also set up a website you can visit by clicking herewith information about the security breach and tips on protecting yourself against identity theft.

The Federal Trade Commission also provides information about identity theft here. One interesting tip? Beware identity thieves who may try to claim your tax return this tax season.

If you fear your identity has been stolen, contact your local police department to file a report.  It is also important to check your credit report to find out if anyone has been opening lines of credit in your name. You can order your report for free once a year at this site.

If you fear that someone else is using your identity, you can also set up a credit fraud alert with the three major credit rating agencies (here, here, here).

Mose Buchele focuses on energy and environmental reporting at KUT. Got a tip? Email him at mbuchele@kut.org. Follow him on Twitter @mosebuchele.
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