Consumer alert issued after MoneyGram data breach

DAYTON, Ohio ( WDTN ) — Ohioans are being warned regarding a cyberattack that took sensitive information from MoneyGram customers last month.

The Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Financial Institutions has issued a consumer alert to Ohio residents who have used services provided by MoneyGram.

A data breach was reported to have occurred sometime between Sept. 20-22 and involved an unauthorized third party accessing and acquiring personal information from certain MoneyGram customers.

According to a statement from MoneyGram, the compromised data includes names, contact information, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, government-issued identification documents, bank account numbers, transaction information and, for some individuals, criminal investigation information.

The company says they took immediate steps to contain the breach. An investigation into the attack is underway, with the assistance of cybersecurity experts and law enforcement.

MoneyGram has pledged to provide affected customers with two years of complimentary identity protection and credit monitoring services. The company says their systems have since resumed normal operations.

What to do if you are impacted by the MoneyGram data breach

The Ohio DFI says if you have used MoneyGram’s services, you consider the following steps:

Review statements and credit reports for suspicious activity. Free weekly credit reports can be accessed through www.AnnualCreditReport.com .

Consider freezing your credit. This can hinder thieves from opening new accounts under your name.

Individuals can contact these three major credit reporting bureaus for assistance:

• Equifax: 800-685-1111
• Experian: 888-397-3742
• TransUnion: 888-909-8872

Identify theft victims should reach out to the FTC. If you are a victim of identify theft, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s website to access resources and instructions.

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