Customer data compromised at First State Bank of Pinedale
Data tape containing customer account information lost
by Pinedale Online!
August 19, 2008
First State Bank of Pinedale notified customers via letters and personal phone conversations that their personal and account information has been compromised.
A bag containing a data tape from the bank was lost while being transported between processing sites, according to the letter dated August 15, 2008 from bank President & COO William Kuhl, III. The data tape contained information about the customer’s business name, address, taxpayer identification number, account numbers, current accounts in Pinedale, and business accounts that have been closed since June 2005.
"As soon as we learned that the bag did not arrive at its destination, we immediately contacyted law enforcement and began our own thorough investigation. Because we believe the lost bag may have been discarded and because special equipment is needed to retrieve the tape’s contents, it is highly unlikely that your information will be misused. Nevertheless, we continue to work with the authorities to locate the bag and tape," the letter to customers stated.
"At this time there is no indication that your information has been misused," Kuhl wrote. The bank encouraged customers to consider placing a security alert on their credit bureau file. "We recommend that if you are enrolling in a credit monitoring service, such as Identity Guard, CreditProtectX3, you enroll in the monitoring service prior to placing the security alert. Please be advised that placing the security alert first may delay establishing monitoring services." The bank provided the contact information for TransUnion, Equifax and Experian credit monitoring services.
First State Bank of Pinedale recommended additional precautions with customers’ accounts:
- Review account activity often, for at least the next 12 months, and report any suspicious activity immediately to the appropriate financial institution. First State Bank of Pinedale customers may monitor their First State Bank of Pinedale account activity on line by visiting www.PinedaleBank.com
- Do not use any part of your Social Security number as passwords.
- Consider changing your First State Bank of Pinedale online banking password by calling First State Bank of Pinedale or visiting any first State Bank of Pinedale location.
- Information regarding steps you can take to protect against identity theft is available from the Federal Trade Commission at www.consumer.gov/idtheft. If you don’t have Internet access, you can call the FTC’s Identity Theft Hotline toll-free at 1-877-IDTHEFT (1-877-438-4338). We encourage you to report any incidents of identity theft to the FTC.
The bank also suggests customers periodically check their credit report to ensure all their information is correct. Free credit reports can be obtained from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies every 12 months by calling 1-877-322-8228 or going online to www.annualcreditreport.com.
"If you have any questions, please call (866) 390-3921. Phone Bankers are available to assist you Monday through Friday between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Mountain Time," Kuhl wrote. "We apologize that this situation has occurred and for any concern it may cause you."
Click here for a copy of the letter sent to customers by the bank: First State Bank of Pinedale customer letter (2-page PDF, August 15, 2008)
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