Florida's Attorney General says personal information from millions of people exposed during last year's T-Mobile data breach is now for sale on the "dark web." Ashley Moody says the data breach impacted more than 4 million Floridians, and compromised consumers' names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and driver's license information. She says it's extremely important that anyone who was exposed take immediate action to preserve their identities.
From AG Ashley Moody's Consumer Alert:
Attorney General Moody is providing the following tips to help Floridians avoid mobile malware attacks:
- Research phone apps before downloading;
- Never respond to a solicitation requesting financial information or online cash transfers;
- If a text message, email or phone call appears to be from a bank or other financial institution, look up the company online and make direct contact instead of responding to the solicitation; and
- Only send money to trusted individuals or businesses.
Signs that mobile malware is already on a phone include:
- Rapidly decreasing battery power;
- Large amounts of data being used, especially when the phone is not in use;
- Unexplained apps appearing on the phone; and
- Unauthorized purchases originating from a phone.
Google released information in its help center on how to remove unwanted ads, pop-ups and malware from a mobile phone or computer. Additionally, the Federal Trade Commission provides a detailed guide on how to recognize, remove and avoid malware.
Downloading security apps may help to keep your device free of malware, but be sure to thoroughly research any such app through independent reviews to avoid mistakenly downloading malware.
To report a mobile malware scam, contact the Attorney General’s Office at 1(866) 9NO-SCAM or file a complaint online at MyFloridaLegal.com.
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