Originally published April 25 2005
HSBC Holdings, ChoicePoint and LexisNexis report on identity theft; thousands victimized
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
HSBC Holdings has warned over 180,000 MasterCard holders who used their cards to make a Polo Ralph Lauren purchase that their credit card information may have been stolen. ChoicePoint and LexisNexis have also disclosed that their databases have been exposed to theft, and that thousands have been victimized. In light of the escalating identity theft incidents involving thousands � and even hundreds of thousand of people � many people around 20 states are calling for legislation regarding security of personal information.
- Global bank HSBC Holdings is notifying at least 180,000 people who used MasterCard credit cards to make purchases at Polo Ralph Lauren that criminals may have obtained access to their credit card information, and that they should replace their cards, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.
- The situation involves a General Motors-branded card, the Journal reported.
- HSBC's U.K. office was not immediately available to comment.
- The incident is the latest in a string of high-profile cases in which personal data were stolen from retailers or financial institutions.
- More than 20 U.S. states are considering legislation after data security scandals involving ChoicePoint and LexisNexis.
- ChoicePoint, a data collection company, said in February that data on 145,000 people was stolen from its consumer database, resulting in at least 750 cases of identity theft.
- LexisNexis said in March that an intrusion into its Seisint databases may have compromised personal information on about 32,000 people--then this week it upped the estimate to 310,000.
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