Tape with residential mortgage customer information returned to company?s Chicago data processing center from DHL facility
RISMEDIA, Dec. 22 ? The ABN AMRO Mortgage Group, Inc. computer tape containing information on approximately 2 million residential mortgage customers was located and returned to the company?s Chicago data processing center from the same DHL facility from which it was lost on November 18.
The company announced on December 16 that this tape was lost while being transported by DHL to a credit reporting company.
Even though the tape was recovered on Monday, Dec. 19, ABN AMRO Mortgage Group, Inc. will continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the recovery of the tape with DHL due to the time period the tape was presumed lost. The company has been informed by DHL that the package was found without the original airbill. Based on our investigation, we understand that DHL staff opened the package, found the return address on the tape, and repackaged the tape with a new airbill addressed to ABN AMRO Mortgage Group, Inc.
The company notified law enforcement and the appropriate regulatory agencies regarding the recovery of the tape. The law enforcement authorities are not pursuing action at this time. The company continues to check for unusual activity suggesting misuse and none has been seen.
?We are pleased that the tape has been located and returned to us,? commented Thomas M. Goldstein, chairman and chief executive officer, ABN AMRO Mortgage Group, Inc. ?We certainly regret the concern this has caused our customers. Although we have no reason to believe that the tape was compromised, we feel it is always a good practice for consumers to monitor their credit activity on a regular basis and we continue to encourage customers who received written notification of this incident to sign up for the free credit monitoring service we have arranged.?
ABN AMRO Mortgage Group, Inc., in response to customer feedback since the announcement last Friday, has decided to extend the 90-day free credit monitoring service to one year. ?Because safeguarding our customers? personal information is our highest priority, we arranged to extend the service to one year for those who choose to sign up,? added Goldstein.
ABN AMRO Mortgage Group, Inc. customers who received our written notification of this incident should expect correspondence from us informing them of the recovery of the tape and confirming the extension of the free credit monitoring service to one year.
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