Nearly 2 Million Michigan Residents May Have Personal Information Compromised

Michigan officials are issuing a warning to residents after a software problem has exposed the personal information of nearly two million people in Michigan.

The problem started with an update to Michigans unemployment benefit system.  The update in October of 2016 allowed users to access the names and social security numbers of users in the MiDAS (Michigan Data Automated System).

An investigation is still ongoing, so the total number of people exposed is not clear yet.  People potentially at risk include those whose payroll is processed by one of 31 third-party vendors that works with the Unemployment Insurance Agency.  Officials say that the information was not able to be accessed by other claimants.

The problem was discovered on January 31st, and unauthorized access was blocked that day.

If you think you may be in the group at risk, there are a few things you can do to help protect yourself.

• Monitor your bank statements, and other financial reports.  If something strange shows up, contact officials immediately.
• Get a free credit report.  You can use online sites like Annual Credit Report or the Federal Trade Commission site.  You can also call 877-322-8228 to get a report.
• Keep an eye out for new accounts or credit cards in your name that you did not open.

Michigan has also set up a special telephone hotline for questions about the issues.  Call 855-707-8387 Monday thru Friday from 8am to 4pm if you have questions.