Mosspatch- was it Abo-ambro something?? Actually did happen- they now found the tape but the mortgage co is still giving free credit monitoring and extended it for a year so what the heck.The tape was lost Dec 16- found yesterday-I don't think this was a scare tactic as the credit monitoring is really free at trans union

Yep, same company. Recording said the tape had been found on the 19th. I didn't know the lost date, the 16th? That's the date on my letter (tho there is no postmark on the envelope). Amazing that DHL could pick up and lose the tape, ABN could begin investigations and notify the fed. government, make arrangements with TransUnion, and get letters in the mail to everyone on the tape in the same day. Only to leave those same customers open to identity theft for what, 3-4 days?, before the letters would be received? (I'm just lucky I hit my PO box when I did; I pick up my mail (if I even have any) once a week.) They could have e-mailed me instantly, they do for everything else. I'll register for the free service, but I still have my doubts about this one. I'm going to be very pesky until I'm sure there is no automatic rollover at the end of the year from free to fee credit monitoring at TransUnion. (Which begs the question: if the info was being sent to Experien, why is the free monitoring with TransUnion?) When you consider that each credit reporting company has to give out one free report a year, multiplied by how many people requesting a free report, those companies will be looking for ways to recoup that $$, one way or another.

Shades of Paul Harvey .... the rest of the story.

ABN was unable to tell me *when* the tape had been shipped. It was discovered missing on *November* 18. It was returned to ABN on *December* 19th. ABN, according to their drone, spent the intervening time "investigating" (a/k/a CYA-ing) because they didn't want to "alarm" their customers. Riiiiiiiiight.

I expect the degree of alarm from their customers is why the free monitoring has been extended to a full year.

At least future data will be encrypted and sent electronically. At least that's what they say.

Mosspatch
I think it is ridiculous too and if they roll it over to a paid service i think it's time for a class action suit
I really wonder how long the tape was missing-when I get my credit report by Monday i am going to check thier last reporting date
Big finance sure makes me suspicious

I just spoke with my bank about this. My Sainted Account Manageress said that data can be lost, and when it happened at the bank, the bank customers were notified immediately if not sooner. However, the bank (and the finance company) does not have the authority to enter into any agreement on the behalf of the customer, and that is why it's up to the customer to enroll with the credit company. SAM advised to put a fraud alert on my credit, but not to do the enrollment via computer, regardless of the encrypted symbol on the screen. Rather enroll by landline phone (secure) or mail. SAM has put a reminder on my file at the bank to notify the credit reporting companies that I do not want the free reporting service rolled over at the end of the one year period to a paid service.

Gotta love small towns and personal service.