Optima Tax Relief, a US company that claims to have resolved more than $1 billion in debt, has reported a data breach affecting over 5,000 of its customers. The company informed Maine, a state with strict reporting requirements for organizations affected by cyberattacks involving its residents. Optima detected the breach in November but delayed public disclosure until it conducted a “comprehensive forensic investigation” and strengthened its defenses.
Optima disclosed in a notification letter to affected individuals that compromised data may include personally identifiable information, such as names, postal or mailing addresses, dates of birth, and social security numbers. To compensate for the breach, Optima is offering victims a year’s worth of free credit monitoring and identity protection services. This incident is embarrassing for the company, which had promised on its landing page to provide a secure and trustworthy site.
Story credit
Related stories:
