PORTLAND, Maine — The Kansas-based contractor that runs Maine’s JobLink website reported a hacker viewed names, Social Security numbers and dates of birth of job seekers.

The Maine Department of Labor issued a warning Wednesday that people with JobLink accounts in Maine, especially those with a Social Security number, should put a freeze on their credit report. That is free under Maine law, the department said.





The contractor America’s JobLink said it confirmed Tuesday that a hacker exploited its system and accessed private information.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported Monday that the company managing online job listings for 16 states confirmed it asked the FBI to help investigate a virus on its computers. The newspaper reported news of the virus March 16 after receiving an anonymous tip.

The company said it hired independent digital forensic specialists to find out how many job accounts were viewed and where those job seekers were located.

For any potentially affected job seekers, the department advised following online directions from the Maine Department of Professional and Financial Regulation about how to request a credit freeze from the three major reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

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The Department of Labor said it can answer questions at 1-888-457-8883 as well, but there may be a wait.

“Due to an expected high call volume, your patience is appreciated,” the department’s notice states.