Data Breach Summary
On June 17, 2025, the North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners (NCBCAE) reported a data breach that affected 28,018 individuals, including eight Maine residents. The breach occurred due to a hacking incident that compromised certain email accounts between October 31, 2024, and November 27, 2024.
The breach was discovered on November 27, 2024, after NCBCAE detected suspicious activity within its email systems. Following the discovery, the organization launched an investigation to assess the extent of the breach, which ultimately revealed that an unauthorized individual had gained access to specific email accounts.
The potentially affected data includes individuals’ names and Social Security numbers. After completing its review, NCBCAE found no evidence of fraudulent use of the compromised information. While the breach involved a small number of Maine residents, the incident affected individuals across various regions, prompting NCBCAE to take immediate steps to notify impacted parties and implement additional security measures.
In response to the breach, NCBCAE has:
Investigated the breach and reviewed the affected data.
Implemented stronger security safeguards and provided additional employee training.
Begun notifying individuals whose data may have been compromised.
Provided affected individuals with twelve months of free credit monitoring services through IDX.
NCBCAE is also offering guidance on preventing identity theft, such as advising individuals to monitor credit reports, place fraud alerts, and report suspicious activity to banks, credit card companies, and relevant authorities.
Written notifications were sent to the eight Maine residents whose information was potentially exposed in the breach. The notifications outlined the incident and provided instructions on how to take protective measures, such as enrolling in credit monitoring services and reviewing credit reports for unusual activity.
If you received notification from North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners regarding this breach, we recommend:
Regularly monitoring your credit reports and financial accounts for suspicious activity
Placing fraud alerts or security freezes on your credit reports with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion
Taking advantage of the free identity monitoring services offered by North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners
Reporting any suspected identity theft to law enforcement, your state attorney general, or the Federal Trade Commission
Following the breach, North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiner faces potential class-action lawsuits from clients alleging negligence in protecting personal data. Data breach lawsuits often claim companies failed to implement adequate security measures or delayed disclosure of breaches, thereby increasing victims’ risk of financial and identity theft damages.
Affected users may be entitled to compensation for costs related to identity monitoring, fraudulent transactions, lost time addressing the breach, and emotional distress.
If you were impacted by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners data breach, you may have the right to seek compensation for the potential harm caused. Class Action U is dedicated to helping data breach victims connect with skilled attorneys who specialize in this area of law and can guide you through the legal process.
Individuals whose personal information was exposed may have valid grounds to join a class action lawsuit, allowing them to pursue restitution.
If your data was compromised, you could be entitled to compensation for:
Loss of privacy
Time spent resolving the breach
Out-of-pocket expenses
Emotional distress
By pursuing a class action lawsuit, you not only have the opportunity to recover damages but also help hold North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners accountable, potentially prompting them to strengthen their security measures. Reach out to Class Action U today to find out if you qualify for a data breach class action and learn more about the compensation you may be entitled to.
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