Japanese Power Company Lost Device With 11 Million Customer Records

A contractor working for a power company in Kyushu, Japan lost a storage drive on May

26. The device contained personal information belonging to nearly 11 million people. The company reported the missing device the same day it was discovered missing. The storage drive was lost on April 27, but the company did not notice it was gone until about a month later. If you are a customer of this Kyushu power company, your personal details may have been on the lost device. The company has stated that financial information like credit card numbers or bank account details were not included on the storage drive. However, other personal information was stored on the device. If you receive notification from the power company, take these steps immediately:
27. Read any letters or emails from the company carefully to understand exactly what information was on the lost device.
28. Watch your accounts for any unusual activity or unexpected contact from people claiming to know your personal details.
29. Be extra cautious about emails or phone calls asking for personal information, even if they claim to be from the power company.
30. Consider placing a fraud alert on your credit if the notification indicates your identification details were included. This incident is a reminder that even large utility companies can lose track of customer data. Always monitor your accounts regularly for suspicious activity. Keep different passwords for different services so that if one account is compromised, others remain safe. Sign up for account alerts from your important service providers so you are notified immediately of any changes to your accounts.