Nova Scotia Power encourages customers to leak own personal information during service outages
HALIFAX – After the private information of more than 280,000 Nova Scotia Power customers was stolen and published online, Nova Scotia Power and parent company Emera are reminding customers to make sure they are leaking their own personal information during NS Power’s frequent service outages.
“Unfortunately, the local conditions in Nova Scotia mean that it’s just not realistic for us to make sure that our customers’ Social Insurance Numbers and banking information are readily available to cybercriminals at all times,” said Nova Scotia Power CEO Peter Gregg. “Sometimes our power grid is temporarily brought down by conditions that are not possible to anticipate, like gentle summer breezes or the air being slightly salty near the Atlantic Ocean. So while our customers are sitting in the dark listening to the food in their freezers thawing, it’s also important for them to be thinking about creative ways they can make sure their full address history and driver’s license number is readily available for any identity thief who might like to have it.”
Nova Scotia’s Department of Emergency Management have updated their guidelines to ensure that Nova Scotians are prepared to leak their own personal data during prolonged blackouts.
“The best thing about Maritimers is that we look out for each other. We believe in community,” said Kim Masland, Minister of Emergency Management. “So the next time there’s a major power blackout, maybe after a storm or on a beautiful Tuesday afternoon with completely clear weather, take the time to check on your elderly neighbours and see if they need any help broadcasting their email addresses and passwords to the world.”
Minister Masland continued, “And as a reminder, all Nova Scotians should be taking basic emergency precautions, like stocking up on extra copies of government-issued IDs, changing your voicemail greeting to a list of your account numbers, and changing all passwords to the name of the pet you’ve plastered all over social media.”
Nova Scotia residents say they feel prepared to take on the responsibility of leaking their personal data.
“I take emergency preparations very seriously, ever since Hurricane Fiona,” said Shane McLeod, a 31-year-old Dartmouth resident. “I keep my emergency kit well-stocked with batteries, flashlights, first aid supplies, and a quart of Benjamin Moore outdoor paint that I can use to write my account number and routing number across my driveway as soon as the lights go out.”
Nova Scotia Power is encouraging all customers impacted by the data leak to sign up for credit monitoring services, and to try getting their power in the future by running a long extension cord to PEI.
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