Illinois AG Madigan Testifies On Data Breaches

The Illinois Attorney General told members of Congress that federal lawmakers need to take steps to better protect people's personal information.

Lisa Madigan testified in Washington on Wednesday, speaking before the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade.
 
She says the country is facing an ``an epidemic of data breaches,'' which she says have caused billions of dollars in damage to the economy.
 
Madigan says her office's ID theft unit has received more than 40,000 requests for help since it was founded in 2006.
 
The unit has helped Illinois consumers reverse more than $26 million in fraudulent charges.
 
She also says Congress should create federal standards regarding data breaches and authorize a federal agency to investigate large, sophisticated ID theft cases.