Via​ ​Email
Equifax​ ​Inc.
c/o​ ​Phyllis​ ​B.​ ​Sumner King​ ​&​ ​Spalding​ ​LLP 1180​ ​Peachtree​ ​St.​ ​NE Atlanta,​ ​GA​ ​30309 psumner@kslaw.com
Dear​ ​Ms.​ ​Sumner:
STATE​ ​OF​ ​NEW​ ​MEXICO OFFICE​ ​OF​ ​THE​ ​ATTORNEY​ ​GENERAL
HECTOR​ ​H.​ ​BALDERAS ATTORNEY​ ​GENERAL
September​ ​8,​ ​2017
As Attorney General for the State of New Mexico, I have the duty to protect the legal rights of all New Mexicans and to ensure that their privacy interests are protected when they participate in the financial system. Equifax’s recent announcement that it suffered a cybersecurity attack affecting 143 million U.S. customers is therefore gravely concerning. Given the critical information that Equifax collects, including names, social security numbers, birth dates, and account information, this incident creates an unacceptable risk of fraud and identity theft. The people of New Mexico, who have placed their trust and their futures in the financial system,​ ​deserve​ ​a​ ​better​ ​explanation​ ​of​ ​what​ ​happened​ ​and​ ​why.

I am especially concerned about the length of Equifax’s delay prior to notifying affected individuals as well as Equifax’s attempts to limit the legal rights of affected individuals who accept the company’s offer of identity theft and credit monitoring services. Individuals who were victims​ ​of​ ​the​ ​breach​ ​should​ ​not​ ​be​ ​re-victimized​ ​by​ ​Equifax’s​ ​response. 

Please note that the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General takes these matters seriously.​ ​I​ ​am​ ​asking​ ​you​ ​to​ ​therefore​ ​provide​ ​answers​ ​to​ ​the​ ​following​ ​questions:
● How​ ​many​ ​New​ ​Mexico​ ​residents​ ​had​ ​their​ ​personal​ ​information​ ​exposed?
● How did Equifax learn of the breach and what was the earliest date at which Equifax knew or should have known that the personal information of any New Mexico resident
had​ ​been​ ​exposed?
● What​ ​security​ ​measures​ ​did​ ​Equifax​ ​have​ ​in​ ​place​ ​prior​ ​to​ ​the​ ​attack?
● By​ ​what​ ​specific​ ​method​ ​did​ ​the​ ​attacker​ ​gain​ ​access​ ​to​ ​Equifax​ ​systems?
● What​ ​information​ ​has​ ​Equifax​ ​discovered​ ​about​ ​the​ ​identity​ ​of​ ​the​ ​attacker?
● What remedial measures has Equifax put in place to prevent this type of attack from
recurring?
● What form of notice is Equifax providing to New Mexico residents who had their
personal​ ​information​ ​exposed?
I​ ​look​ ​forward​ ​to​ ​hearing​ ​from​ ​you.
Sincerely,
Hector​ ​H.​ ​Balderas

Content on the Beat

WARNING: All articles and photos with a byline or photo credit are copyrighted to the author or photographer. You may not use any information found within the articles without asking permission AND giving attribution to the source. Photos can be requested and may incur a nominal fee for use personally or commercially.

Disclaimer: If you find errors in articles not written by the Beat team but sent to us from other content providers, please contact the writer, not the Beat. For example, obituaries are always provided by the funeral home or a family member. We can fix errors, but please give details on where the error is so we can find it. News releases from government and non-profit entities are posted generally without change, except for legal notices, which incur a small charge.

NOTE: If an article does not have a byline, it was written by someone not affiliated with the Beat and then sent to the Beat for posting.

Images: We have received complaints about large images blocking parts of other articles. If you encounter this problem, click on the title of the article you want to read and it will take you to that article's page, which shows only that article without any intruders. 

New Columnists: The Beat continues to bring you new columnists. And check out the old faithfuls who continue to provide content.

Newsletter: If you opt in to the Join GCB Three Times Weekly Updates option above this to the right, you will be subscribed to email notifications with links to recently posted articles.

Submitting to the Beat

Those new to providing news releases to the Beat are asked to please check out submission guidelines at https://www.grantcountybeat.com/about/submissions. They are for your information to make life easier on the readers, as well as for the editor.

Advertising: Don't forget to tell advertisers that you saw their ads on the Beat.

Classifieds: We have changed Classifieds to a simpler option. Check periodically to see if any new ones have popped up. Send your information to editor@grantcountybeat.com and we will post it as soon as we can. Instructions and prices are on the page.

Editor's Notes

It has come to this editor's attention that people are sending information to the Grant County Beat Facebook page. Please be aware that the editor does not regularly monitor the page. If you have items you want to send to the editor, please send them to editor@grantcountybeat.com. Thanks!

Here for YOU: Consider the Beat your DAILY newspaper for up-to-date information about Grant County. It's at your fingertips! One Click to Local News. Thanks for your support for and your readership of Grant County's online news source—www.grantcountybeat.com

Feel free to notify editor@grantcountybeat.com if you notice any technical problems on the site. Your convenience is my desire for the Beat.  The Beat totally appreciates its readers and subscribers!  

Compliance: Because you are an esteemed member of The Grant County Beat readership, be assured that we at the Beat continue to do everything we can to be in full compliance with GDPR and pertinent US law, so that the information you have chosen to give to us cannot be compromised.