AG Schimel subpoenas Equifax for info on compromised Wisconsinites in breach

MADISON, Wis. — The state Attorney General is investigating how the Equifax data breach is affecting Wisconsin residents, according to a news release.

Brad Schimel said he issued a subpoena seeking detailed information from Equifax about the breach and the Wisconsin residents who were affected.

“I’m concerned about the number of Wisconsinites whose privacy and personal information was violated by the Equifax breach and the steps the company has taken to address these violations,” Schimel said.

According to the news release, Schimel asked Equifax in the subpoena to explain the circumstances that led to the breach; the reasons for the long delay between the breach and the company’s public disclosure; the identity of Wisconsin residents affected by the breach; a detailed description of the protections in place at time of the breach and how they failed; and a detailed description of the protections put in place to prevent future harm.

Last week, Schimel joined other state attorneys general in investigating Equifax. In a Sept. 19 letter to Equifax, the attorneys general expressed concerns the states have over Equifax’s offering of fee-based services in response to its breach.

The attorneys requested Equifax disable links to its fee-based services until the signup period for the free service has ended. They further requested that Equifax extend the free services to at least Jan. 31, 2018, and take steps to reimburse consumers who incur fees from the other two credit reporting agencies to completely freeze their credit.

Wisconsin residents concerned about the breach and what steps to take to protect themselves can find useful information at the state Department of Trade and Consumer Protection’s website .

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