Hot lines deluged after T&G, Globe leak
Reilly looks to see if papers violated consumer laws
Thousands of concerned and often angry Boston Globe and Worcester Telegram & Gazette subscribers flooded a special hot line yesterday, following the disclosure that their credit and bank card numbers may have been inadvertently distributed with the Sunday T&G.
Meanwhile, the office of Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly is reviewing whether the newspapers, in releasing the personal data, violated the state's consumer protection law, which prohibits unfair or deceptive practices.
''We take these matters involving the release of personal information seriously," said Sarah Nathan, a Reilly spokeswoman. ''We are looking into it and look forward to meeting with Globe personnel on the issues."
Alfred S. Larkin Jr., spokesman for the Globe, said, ''We have not heard from the attorney general's office, but if we are contacted, we will cooperate fully with any inquiry."
Subscribers yesterday deluged and initially overwhelmed the call center, with many customers complaining of busy signals and long hold times. By noon yesterday, customer service representatives had taken more than 4,200 calls, but had missed about 1,600 subscribers because of the backup.
Throughout the day, the newspapers added more than 200 customer service representatives to handle calls and set up a website on which subscribers could determine whether their names and financial information may have been released. The site is www.bostonglobe.com/cclookup.
By 5 p.m., the center had taken about 13,000 calls, while cutting hold time to less than two minutes. The hotline number is 888-665-2644.
The newspapers said they provided the names and account numbers of affected subscribers to major credit card companies, which in turn were notifying the banks that issued the cards. Such notification can trigger increased safeguards against fraud.
No incidents of fraudulent use of the financial information had yet been reported, officials of the newspapers said.
In addition, the newspapers said they would offer affected subscribers a credit-monitoring service to track and identify unusual financial activity and notify the customers.
The newspapers will pay for the service for a year.
''We remain hopeful that this information will not be misused," the Globe's publisher, Richard Gilman, said in a statement. ''But we want our customers to know that if any such thing does occur, we will provide them with means to correct the problem."
On Tuesday, the Globe and the T&G disclosed that confidential information from as many as 240,000 subscribers -- including names, credit and bank card numbers, and expiration dates for credit cards -- was mistakenly printed out.
The paper was then recycled and used to wrap bundles of the Sunday T&G.
The Globe and the T&G are owned by The New York Times Co. and share a computer system.
The papers yesterday said they now believe the maximum number of subscribers who could be affected is 202,000. But they remain uncertain of the precise number.
While the circumstances that led to the security breach were unusual, several privacy specialists said yesterday that the underlying causes, such as the lack of effective policies, are not. In general, said Jeff Meldman, a professor at MIT's Sloan School of Management, businesses have improved their policies and practices only after embarrassing security breaches.
''Historically, there's been a long lag between concerns of coming problems and actually doing something about it," Meldman said. ''It's always a reaction."
Peter Katz, a partner in the law firm of Day, Berry & Howard LLP and a specialist in privacy and data security, said, ''On average, businesses haven't quite followed through to taking serious steps to cut down on the loss of information.
''Businesses have come to think they own this information," Katz said. ''But the bias has to be the other way, that it's not their property, they don't have any right to it, and they have to be careful with it."
Globe and T&G officials said they have put into place new practices to prevent future releases of personal information, such as adding a safeguard to the computer system so only the last four numbers of credit and debit cards can be printed. In addition, they said, they have initiated a review of procedures for handling confidential information, to ensure proper safeguards are in place.
Privacy specialists praised the Globe and T&G for their response to the security breach, including the quick disclosure and providing credit card companies with the released data.
''Other companies have taken their time, so we definitely applaud the Globe," said Eric Bourassa, consumer advocate for the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group.
Many subscribers, however, were upset.
In angry e-mails and phone calls, they complained that the Globe and T&G failed to protect their personal data and questioned how sensitive financial information could have been so easily accessed, printed, and released.
About 200 of the Globe's 450,000 home delivery customers canceled subscriptions yesterday, the newspaper said.
Jean Terranova of Melrose, a personal chef who subscribed to the Globe for six years, learned she was one of the customers affected. She said she was considering canceling her subscription, but at the very least would stop paying by credit card.
''This was all very shocking," she said. ''This is a big, big deal and it hasn't been adequately explained how this happened. I certainly don't trust the Globe with my credit card information."
Bruce Spitzer, spokesman for the Massachusetts Bankers Association, said affected subscribers need to be extra vigilant about unsolicited phone calls, e-mails, and letters asking for additional personal and financial information. He said identity thieves often employ such tactics. In addition, he said, these subscribers need to monitor financial activity in their accounts very closely.
''Chances are there's nothing going to happen," Spitzer said. ''But if you stay on top of it, and report it quickly, you'll be in good shape."
How to get help
To find out if your name and financial information may have been released, go to www.bostonglobe.com/cclookup. Also, customer service representatives are available to answer questions at this hot line number: 888-665-2644.
Robert Gavin can be reached at rgavin@globe.com. 