T-Mobile: Your Data’s On The Black Market, But Don’t Worry

T-Mobile has just revealed that it lost 17 million customers’ personal information. But wait, it gets better: The theft happened two years ago. And the company has known about it since then.

Hey, better late than never, right? Here’s some more reassuring news: A T-Mobile spokesperson says: “Even though these details have been put up for sale on the black market, there has not been a buyer.” WHEW! I’ll be sleeping soundly now.

The confidential data apparently disappeared from the carrier’s European offices in 2006. It’s said to have included phone numbers, birthdates, addresses, and e-mail addresses. German media outlets also report some well-known celebrities and politicians are amongst those whose private info is now potentially public. Good times.

A spokesperson does say that T-Mobile’s “data security procedures” have been “reinforced” since the theft. The company’s procedures for “notifying customers in a timely fashion when their personal information has been compromised,” however, have not.

But you know, T-Mobile might just be on to something with this delayed admission tactic. Maybe people will be less pissed off about things after a few years have passed. Let me just say, then, to that hot Swedish chick I met on vacation four years ago: My name is not really Jacques, and I’m not a French tourist. The address I gave you was to the Eiffel Tower. Oh, and that moustache was totally fake.

(Note to self: Get new fake moustache before next vacation. That thing really worked.)