Fulton Bank facing data breach lawsuit 

Lancaster-based Fulton Bank is facing a class-action lawsuit over a security data breach that struck one of its vendors, Georgia-based Overby-Seawell Company, on July 5, 2022.

The lawsuit was filed in a federal court in Georgia and states that the sensitive personal information of more than 100,000 clients was not sufficiently protected from exposure by Fulton Bank and Overby-Seawell Co. (OSC). Damages are estimated to be at least $5 million.

Two Pennsylvania borrowers have been named in the suit as lead plaintiffs. Barnow and Associates, a Chicago law firm, are reportedly a lead attorney for the plaintiffs.

A spokesperson for Fulton Bank said in an email reply that Fulton Bank does not comment on pending litigation.

OSC provides Fulton Bank and other financial institutions with ongoing property insurance verification.

OSC told Fulton Bank on August 11, 2022, that it discovered on the previous July 5 that its internet security system had suffered unauthorized access two months earlier on May 26 and that sensitive personal information on a reported 100,744 customers might have been accessed and acquired. Personal information includes Name, Social Security number, Loan number and details (amount and maturity date), and insurance policy information.

OCS sent letters on August 30 to the thousands of clients whose sensitive personal information may have been compromised, according to published reports.

Fulton Bank’s systems were reportedly not affected by the security breach.

The site states that as a result of this incident and at no cost to customers, “Fulton Bank is offering IDX identity theft protection services.”

The services include two years of credit monitoring to alert customers to any changes in their credit report, CyberScan to “monitor criminal websites, chat rooms, and bulletin boards for illegal trading and selling” of personal information, access to “Fraud Resolution representatives to resolve and identity theft issues,” exclusive education materials relating to protecting personal identity, and ID theft insurance that includes up to $1 million in insurance reimbursements, covering certain expenses customers “may incur in responding to an ID theft event.”

The site is maintained by IDX on behalf of Fulton Bank “for the purpose of (customers) with valuable services and information to mitigate any risks in the event that (customers) experience identity theft as a result of this situation.”

According to its website, data breach law firm Turke & Strauss LLP is investigating Fulton Bank in relation to the security breach. At time of writing, Turke & Strauss had not replied to an email seeking comment.

Fulton Bank provides banking services, lending, mortgage, investment management, trust services, and business solutions to Mid-Atlantic region communities. to Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Virginia. A part of Fulton Financial Corporation, Fulton Bank operates 250 bank branches and specialty offices in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Virginia.