Posted On April 20, 2023 Consumer Privacy & Data Breaches
April 20 – The parent company of Traditions Bank, Traditions Bancorp, Inc., discovered on April 17, 2023, that an unauthorized individual had deleted files from the bank’s computer system that contained sensitive customer information, prompting the company to file a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of Massachusetts. According to the company’s formal complaint, the breach exposed customers’ names, dates of birth, addresses, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, debit card numbers, loan numbers, bank account numbers, and online banking usernames. After it was determined that customer information had been compromised, Traditions Bank immediately started notifying those whose information had been compromised through letter.
Data breach lawyers at Console & Associates, P.C. are still investigating the incident. As a breach victim, it is crucial that you be aware of the legal recourse available to you. We are providing free consultations to anybody who is concerned about the security of their personal information and whether or not they have grounds to sue Traditions Bank for damages caused by a data breach.
Holding firm Traditions Bancorp, Inc. is the parent organization of Traditions Bank, a commercial bank with main offices in York, Pennsylvania. There are many Traditions Bank facilities in York, as well as others in Hanover and Lancaster, all within Central Pennsylvania. The Lemoyne, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania location is the company’s lending office. More than a hundred individuals are employed by Traditions Bank, and the institution takes in over $33 million yearly.
On March 3, 2023, Traditions Bank discovered that data had been accessed on its computer network by an unauthorized entity, as stated in a filing with the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, a branch of the Office of the Attorney General of Massachusetts.
In response, Traditions Bank launched an internal investigation to learn more about the scope of the breach and identify affected customers. Information that may have been compromised includes but is not limited to names, dates of birth, addresses, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, bank account numbers, loan numbers, debit card numbers, and online banking usernames.
Data breach letters were sent out by Traditions Bank on April 17, 2023, to all customers whose personal information was exposed in the recent data security breach.
Identity theft and fraud are common results of data breaches. The data might be used by the hacker directly, or it can be sold to other criminals on the dark web. Data breach victims are frequently not notified for months after the event, giving hackers enough opportunity to make use of the information they have gained access to.
Although, as a customer, you had no control over the security breach itself, it is still in your best interest to know how to limit the fallout. In the event of a data breach, we have compiled a checklist of measures to do immediately. This is not an exhaustive list, and you may want to take more precautions if your financial information has been compromised due to its public disclosure.
Companies that have had a breach must notify all affected individuals and the states in which those individuals reside. You should review the data breach notification from Traditions Bank thoroughly once you get it. Data breach letters include the nature of the breach, the measures the organization is doing to prevent such incidents in the future, and whether or not any victims have reported fraud or identity theft.
Since the breach occurred, Traditions Bank is providing free credit monitoring services to all breach victims, a service that would normally cost between $20 and $40 per month. Keeping tabs on your credit score and being alerted immediately if there is any questionable behavior on your accounts is as simple as signing up for credit monitoring. Use the benefit while it is still being provided by the firm.
You should still keep a close eye on your personal credit and bank accounts even after signing up for a credit monitoring service. While it’s true that hackers don’t waste time using data stolen after a breach, it doesn’t mean they always have all they need to carry out their malicious plans. This means they will likely hoard the data until they get access to the data they require. This is why it’s crucial to keep an eye on your accounts for many weeks, if not months, after a data breach has occurred. Even if your data isn’t immediately put to use, it doesn’t imply it won’t be in the future.
It’s important to take advantage of the free protection services provided by the three main credit bureaus, even if you believe credit monitoring and manual account monitoring are enough to avoid identity theft or fraud. A credit freeze will prevent any third party from seeing your credit report without your permission. If you set up a fraud alert, businesses that check your credit will be made aware that your information may have been compromised.
The consumer privacy lawyers at Console & Associates, P.C. help customers affected by data and security breaches pursue legal solutions by offering free consultations. By explaining your rights in clear, concise terms, we help you make an informed decision about your next steps. If you are a victim of the Traditions Bank data breach, Console & Associates, P.C. will investigate at no charge to you and offer advice on how to proceed. If you decide to pursue a case, rest assured that we don’t get paid unless you do. If your claim is successful, legal fees are either paid out of the funds recovered or by the defendant. If your claim is not successful, you pay nothing.
To schedule your free consultation, just call (866) 778-5500 today or fill out our secure contact form.
Below is a portion of the letter sent to affected individuals:
Dear [Redacted]
We write to inform you about an event that may involve your information, our response, and steps you may take if you feel it is appropriate to do so.
What Happened? Certain files were copied from our computer network without authorization on or about March 3, 2023. After identifying the files, we undertook a review of the files to determine their contents and to whom they were related in order to notify potentially affected individuals.
What Information Was Involved? The reviewed files contain name, address, Social Security number, and deposit and/ or loan account numbers. Additional information that may have been included was debit card number, date of birth, online banking username, and/or driver’s license number.
What We Are Doing. We are notifying you about this matter and providing you an opportunity to enroll in 24 months of complimentary identity monitoring services at no cost to you. Further, we are evaluating technical security measures, policies, and procedures to mitigate reoccurrence of this type of event.
What You Can Do. Receipt of this letter does not mean you are a victim of identity theft or fraud. However, we encourage you to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing your account statements and monitoring your free credit reports for suspicious activity and to detect errors over the next 24 months. We also recommend you review the “Steps You Can Take to Protect Personal Information” section of this letter. Further, you may enroll in the offered complimentary identity monitoring services. Enrollment instructions for the free monitoring services are on the next page of this letter.
For More Information. If you have questions about this matter, please contact our dedicated assistance line at (866) 869-1640, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time, (excluding U.S. holidays). You may also write to Traditions Bank at questions@traditions.bank or Traditions Bank, Attn: Director of Regulatory Services, 226 Pauline Drive, York, PA 17402. We regret any inconvenience or concern this event may have caused and look forward to continuing to serve our customers and local communities.
