Attorney General Herring warns Virginians to remain vigilant after Capital One data breach

RICHMOND (July 30, 2019) – Attorney General Mark R. Herring is warning Virginia consumers who could be affected by Capital One’s massive data breach to remain vigilant. According to Capital One, more than 100 million people in the United States and about 6 million people in Canada could have had their personal information exposed including names, addresses, dates of birth, credit history information, social security numbers, and bank account numbers.

“Massive data breaches, like this Capital One breach, are happening all too frequently,” said Attorney General Herring. “Millions of Virginians may have been impacted by this most recent data breach, and all consumers, whether they have worked with Capital One or not, should be extra cautious in the coming weeks to protect their personal data. I am urging any Virginian who believes they may have been impacted by this breach to keep a close eye on their finances, and if you think you have been a victim of identity theft please contact my office immediately. We do not know the scope of the damage created by this data breach yet, but I will monitor the situation and keep Virginians updated.”

Those impacted are now at an increased threat of identity theft. Virginians can access Attorney General Herring’s Victim Notification Program’s Identity Theft Guide online for information on how to protect your personal information and what to do if you think you’ve been the victim of an identity theft.

Attorney General Herring urges all consumers to exercise caution and monitor their bank and credit card accounts for unauthorized charges, monitor credit reports, and change or strengthen passwords.