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Lost charge card data raises ire of Senate leader
The recent admission by Bank of America that it had lost tapes containing government charge card account information has drawn congressional attention, with harshly worded letters from a key senator to the heads of the bank and the General Services Administration.
Susan Collins, R-Maine, chairwoman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, wrote on Tuesday that she was "deeply concerned to learn" that the bank lost five computer backup tapes containing personal information--including names, Social Security numbers and account data--on 1.6 million federal workers from 30 agencies, members of Congress and their staff.
Bank of America maintains that the computer tapes contained the information of 1.2 million government charge card accounts, but would not specify the type of information lost.
The data on the tapes, lost in December during transportation to a backup facility, contained information on federal workers participating in the General Services Administration's "SmartPay" program. GSA officials have said the agency is cooperating with the investigation, but since they are not responsible for the data, there is little they can do.
Collins' letters, one to Bank of America's Kenneth D. Lewis, chairman and chief executive officer, and the other to GSA Administrator Stephen A. Perry, questioned why it took so long for affected employees find out about the incident and why it is unknown whether the tapes were lost or stolen.
"Why did it take two months for affected employees to be notified of what happened?" Collins asked Perry. "In the hands of the wrong people, this data could be used to commit identity theft."
Collins also queried Lewis on the bank's policy for transporting its clients' personal data, and asked what steps had been taken to minimize the damage.
"This incident raises serious questions regarding the protection of federal employees' sensitive personal information," Collins wrote. "I am concerned that this incident occurred in the first place. I am perplexed as to why federal employees were not notified that their identifying information had been compromised until two months after the fact. And I am disturbed that we still do not know whether the tapes were accidentally lost or deliberately stolen."
Bank of America spokeswoman Alexandra Trower said the company does not know how the tapes went missing, but after a "thorough investigation by the Secret Service," they are convinced the tapes are simply lost and were not stolen. "There is no indication that the tapes or their information have been accessed in any way, and we continue to monitor the situation closely," Trower said.
Bank of America is one of GSA's five contractors for the "SmartPay" program, which is used for travel expenditures and purchases of routine supplies and services.
COMMENTS
- This is in reference to the letter sent by Bank of America, dated February 25, 2005, to the government credit card customers. The letter states “We have learned that a small number of computer backup data tapes were lost in shipment and identified as missing in late December. The tapes in question contained customer and account information for some GSA SmartPay government charge cardholders.” A “small number” can be thousands or millions. If the government allows this to happen to its own, then what about the poor civilians like myself? What is the government going to do to Bank of America for allowing this to happen? What is the government going to do to protect its citizens from letting this happen again? If the government sits back and does nothing, then the poor citizens are the next targets…we poor citizens, like myself, are doomed. What is the government doing? GovExec.com reader Posted March 8, 2005 11:15 AM
- Rumbles within the workforce are starting to emerge as the notification letters from BofA are starting to arrive. There is an immense sense of disbelief, that this could happen, and disgust that federal employees could be "forced" to obtain a card which many did not want and apparently, no safeguards were put in place to insure against a fiasco such as this. This situation adds to the developing sense of broken trust emerging in federal employment. The best recruiter for the next generation of the federal workforce IS NOT the measly percentages that are to be thrown around under Pay for Performance Programs. Rather, those on board now, including the high performers and slackers, are the ones who go home everyday to communities, families and friends. They are the ones who spread the word about government service. They are the ones who help bring others to serve. Pay for Performance and poor treatment of employee may still keep the applicant pools filled...in slow economic times. However, what will happen when the good times start to roll again? Will the high octane, supercharged movers and shakers stay where employee concerns are treated lightly? The answer is in the future but things are already starting to smell like the next crisis in federal employment..."high cost from HIGH personnel turn over!" Someone ought to be listening. Why is BofA not being made to communicate to Equifax, Experian and TransUnion in the name of each individual whom they held a card account? BofA lost data that THEY were entrusted to safeguard but the matter is being punted to each individual to fend for him or her self. Other than the senator's indignation, where is the leadership in preemptive actions which should be taken to minimize the effect from this "loss" and possible unauthorized disclosure of Privacy Protected Information? Someone should be listening.... GovExec.com reader Posted March 4, 2005 10:44 PM
- I wonder if those who don't read GovExec or watch the news even know about this. I have seen absolutely nothing informing us through the channels. GovExec.com reader Posted March 3, 2005 2:05 PM
