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March 23, 2018

Survey: 34% of consumers notified of data breach

HBJ File Photo
By Joe Cooper

About 34 percent of U.S. consumers have been notified their data was breached during a cyber attack, according to a survey released Thursday by The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company (HSB).

The national poll says one in five people across the nation have been the victim of identity theft. About half of people who have been notified about a breach said they were informed over the last year.

The statistics demonstrate the risks consumers take when storing their personal information online, said Timothy Zeilman, vice president and counsel for HSB.

“Data breaches continue to expose millions of Americans to identity theft and fraud,” Zeilman said. “On the positive side, forty-eight states now require that affected individuals be notified and more consumers are taking advantage of credit monitoring and identity restoration services offered by businesses and insurers.”

Almost 62 percent of consumers who experienced breaches were offered credit monitoring or restoration services, and more than 40 percent assumed those benefits. The survey shows that 18 percent of total respondents were victims of identity theft.

Thirty-eight percent of victims reported they didn’t know their identity was stolen, and 26 percent said it was stolen online, the company said.

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