Hot on heels of the celebrity hacking case, credit reporting agency Equifax issues a statement announcing that a security breach did occur in the company.
- Mar 13, 2013
AceShowbiz - The list of celebrities whose secret files were hacked has grown longer. U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama is now among the new victims along with rapper Kanye West, former Republican candidate for vice president Sarah Palin and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Their credit report and sensitive information including addresses, social security number, phone numbers, and credit cards and bank accounts were posted online at exposed.su. In the Michelle Obama section, the hackers add an additional comment that reads, "Blame your husband, we still love you, Michelle. <3."
The other victims are Beyonce Knowles, Jay-Z, Kris Jenner, Hulk Hogan, Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, Mel Gibson, Ashton Kutcher, Britney Spears, and Donald Trump. Joining them are LAPD chief Charlie Beck, Vice President Joe Biden, FBI Director Robert Mueller, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, and former Vice President Al Gore.
It's revealed that the hackers use credit reporting agency, Equifax, to seize sensitive information about their celebrity victims. The company confirms the security breach, issuing a statement, "Equifax can confirm that fraudulent and unauthorized access to four [celebrity] consumer credit reports has occurred."
FBI is currently investigating the website that bears an Internet suffix originally assigned to the Soviet Union. The hackers also opened a Twitter account which has been suspended.
Each victim gets either an unflattering picture or a taunting message from the hackers. Neither public figures release a statement regarding the matter. TMZ reports that FBI warns the victimized people to lock down their bank accounts for safety precaution.
"The fraud alert ensures the bank will contact the account holder anytime someone accesses the funds. The celebs are then expected to immediately contact the FBI," the report says. So far, no money is reported stolen.
