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Regional Journalism

Government Email Addresses Released In Dating Site Hack

ashleymadison.com
Hackers released customer data this week from online dating site Ashley Madison.

Dozens of email addresses from government domain names in the Northwest are included in a data release this week. Unfortunately it’s customer data from an online dating site intended for extramarital affairs -- and it was stolen by hackers.

At least 44 customers listed in the Ashley Madison hack registered with email addresses from Northwest government offices.

Domain names on the list include the cities of Seattle and Portland, state agencies like Washington’s DSHS and Idaho’s Transportation Department, and military bases like Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

The site does not verify email addresses for customers, so it’s not certain whether the people using those addresses are actually state and local employees.

But people whose data was hacked may have more than their marriages compromised. The hackers stole seven years worth of data, including payments, full names and street addresses.

The company that owns Ashley Madison claims credit card numbers are safe.