MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - The Vermont attorney general’s office says more 240,000 Vermonters had their personal information exposed in a nationwide data breach of credit reporting company Equifax.

The information includes Social Security numbers, birthdates, addresses and possibly driver’s license and credit card information.

Atlanta-based Equifax says 143 million Americans had their information exposed.

The company said Thursday that “criminals” exploited a U.S. website application to access the files between mid-May and July. It discovered the hack July 29, but waited until Thursday to warn consumers.

The state attorney general’s office says most Vermont adults are likely impacted by the breach.

The exposure drew criticism from Washington regulators and politicians.

Democrats in the U.S. House and Senate called on Equifax to pull back on its requirement that anyone who signs up for credit monitoring give up their right to sue Equifax in a class-action lawsuit.

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