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Computer tapes with information about consumer lending lost by UPS in transit to credit bureau.
June 6, 2005
NEW YORK – Citigroup (Citibank) said Monday June 6, 2005 that personal information on 3.9 million consumer lending customers was lost by UPS while in transit to a credit bureau – the biggest breach of customer or employee data reported so far.
Citigroup sent its customers a letter saying the tapes included Social Security numbers, names, account history and loan information about retail customers, and former customers, in the United States.
The letter added that the company had no reason to believe the information has been used inappropriately and that it has received no reports of unauthorized activity.
“We deeply regret this incident, which occurred in spite of the enhanced security procedures we require of our couriers,” an executive vice president of Citigroup (Research), said in a statement. “Beginning in July, this data will be sent electronically in encrypted form,” said Kessinger, who heads the company’s consumer finance business in North America,
In its letter, Citigroup said told the people affected there “little risk of your account being compromised because you have already received your loan.
“No additional credit may be obtained from CitiFinancial without your prior approval, either by initiating a new application or by providing positive proof of identification,” the nation’s No. 1 financial services company said in the letter.
The tapes contained information about retail customers in the United States as well as some customers with closed retail services accounts. Auto loan and mortgage customers were not affected, the New York-based bank said.