MN Repo Man and Dealer May Face Charges for Illegal Data Access

Minneapolis, MN – April 27, 2012 – A Minnesota Repo Man and a DMV clerk at a car dealership may be facing criminal charges for unauthorized access to the states DMV records.

State officials report that they’ve identified and stopped unauthorized access to the motor vehicle records of some 3,700 licensed Minnesota drivers.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety reports that their preliminary investigation by its Driver and Vehicle Services division does not show that the data was used for criminal purposes. The agency will be sending letters to the individuals affected by the unauthorized access. Names, address, dates of birth, vehicle identification numbers and other personal information were obtained and reported as at risk.

The DPS reports that an audit identified a car dealership employee who was authorized to view the data for processing auto sales passed the system login information to a friend. That friend works for a repossession company. That same person allegedly viewed the records and or allowed others to see the information.

Unauthorized access of driver and vehicle data is a violation of state and federal law.

According to DPS spokesman Bruce Gordon, the identified dealership employee who improperly shared his login has since been shut out of the system. He also reports that the DPS is working with law enforcement agencies to determine how the individuals should be reprimanded, including whether criminal charges should be filed.

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