Major U.S. banks are sounding the alarm about the risk to customers that are providing their banking credentials to AI agents to access their bank accounts. Bank executives are calling the situation “horrifying.” The fear is that the agents are going beyond the instructions of the user, and are making purchasing decisions or moving money
Privacy Tips
Privacy Tip #513 – Driver’s License Breach Can Lead to Fraud
There is a reason why every single state data breach notification law in the United States requires organizations to notify individuals in the event a driver’s license has been compromised. And I have two real life stories to show why it is so important to keep your driver’s license number safe and secure, just like…
Privacy Tip #512 – Coalition of 40 State AGs File Notice in Character.AI Bankruptcy Case
On October 14, 2026, a coalition of 40 state Attorneys General filed a Notice of Interest and Reservation of Rights in the bankruptcy proceeding involving debtor, Character Technologies, Inc. (Character) regarding its product Character.AI’s “outstanding regulatory, safety and privacy issues.”
According to the Notice, Character “designed, built, and distributed Character.AI, an artificial intelligence consumer…
Privacy Tip #511 – The Dangers of Sharing Medical Information with AI Tools
I recently had the pleasure to participate in a podcast on Privacy Lawls about the dangers of sharing medical information with AI tools. In the September 21, 2026, episode, “The Dangers of Sharing Medical Information with AI,” Donata Stroink-Skillrud, President of Termageddon LLC, and I explored how consumers are increasingly using generative AI tools to…
Privacy Tip #510 – Social Engineering Vishing Campaigns Hitting Health Care Sector
- Employee Training and Awareness:
Privacy Tip #509 – Genetic Information of Military Members Compromised
In November 2025, the Department of Veterans Affairs entered into an agreement with Baylor Genetics to provide nationwide pharmacogenomic (PGx) and germline genetic testing services across the VA healthcare system. The partnership allowed VA providers to use advanced precision diagnostics to tailor treatment plans for conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, minimize side…
Privacy Tip #508 – Manhattan DA Seizes 12 Domains Selling Deep Fakes
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., announced on September 14, 2026, the “seizure of 12 domain names of illegal websites used for unlawfully disseminating, publishing, and selling non-consensual celebrity ‘deepfake’ videos.” According to the press release, the individuals under investigation:
[A]llegedly used artificial-intelligence (‘AI’) image and video creation tools to turn pre-existing photos and…
Privacy Tip #507 – Coordinated Vishing Attacks Hit Microsoft Teams Users
A recent article released by the Palo Alto Threat Research Center found that, between January and April 2026, a coordinated effort by threat actors was successful in launching vishing attacks using Microsoft Teams accounts to compromise companies across multiple industries.
The threat actor uses an external Teams account and creates a chat “using identities designed…
Privacy Tip #505 – DOJ Settles with TikTok for $400 Million
The Department of Justice has issued a press release announcing that it has agreed to settle its allegations that TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
The settlement requires TikTok to pay “$300 million immediately and an additional $100 million upon entry of an order vacating a prior…
Privacy Tip #504 – What is Spyware?
This week, Apple notified customers in 110 countries around the world (150 countries to date) that they “may have been targeted with spyware capable of hacking into their devices.” Apple notifies users “directly on their iPhone lock screen with a push notification that urges the person to take action.” The threat alert will read “Apple…