DMV urges reporting of any suspicious activities

QThere have been reports that the DMV was recently breached by hackers. The DMV said no personal information was compromised, but I am concerned if these hackers have my registration information, they will have access to information such as my address and lien holder on the title. I think that with this information, hackers could attempt to steal additional personal information.

What is the DMV doing to protect those who were affected by the breach?

— John Caldwell, El Sobrante

AThe DMV said it has no conclusive information that California data has been compromised, but is enlisting help from the FBI and others. And “out of an extreme abundance of caution, is notifying vehicle owners that its national change of address vendor has been victim to a ransom and an investigation is underway.”

The DMV does not share social security information, financial or payment information or driver’s license information for vehicle registration address verification. While the DMV Investigations branch has no indication at this time that information accessed by the ransomware attack has been used by the attackers for any nefarious reason, it urges people to report any suspicious activity to law enforcement.

This is worrisome, as it could go back 20 months, so closely monitor your various accounts.

QMy adult son drove to his DMV appointment for his driving test with my wife to provide the required licensed driver. I drove our car, trailing them, to pick up my wife and left my son to take the driving test and drive himself home afterward, if successful, or call us for a ride home if he failed, which we thought unlikely.

The DMV told him that he would not be allowed to take the test because he didn’t have an adult accompanying him. My wife and I are over 65 and don’t want to enter a DMV office during the pandemic unless for a very good reason. The review booklet says that no third person is allowed in the car during the test anyway, so what did they want us to do? He now has to wait for another couple of months to get a new appointment. Weirdness!

— Larry Guernsey,

San Jose

AAfter checking in for a behind-thewheel drive test, an applicant eventually will be instructed to pull the car into the drive test lane,and there must be a licensed driver in the car when doing so. If the licensed driver leaves, the car cannot be pulled around and the test cannot be conducted.