New Fidelity Data Breach: What To Do If You Were Affected
On October 9, Fidelity Investments — one of the largest mutual fund companies in the U.S. — notified 77,099 customers about a data breach in August that exposed names, Social Security numbers, driver's licenses, and other personal information. Fidelity confirmed that the breach occurred between August 17 and 19, when an unknown third party gained unauthorized access to their systems.
According to the notice sent to affected customers, this third party did not gain access to any customer Fidelity accounts. However, in a filing with the Massachusetts Attorney General, it was indicated that financial accounts may have been compromised.
Verify any data breach notices you receive. Fidelity began notifying individuals on October 9 via U.S. Mail. You can also call 1-844-528-1265, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET with any questions about the breach.
Consider placing an initial fraud alert on your credit file. This alert will stay on your report for 90 days and prevent creditors from making changes to your file without your consent. Call any one of the three nationwide credit reporting agencies to set up a fraud alert.
Check your credit reports. Placing a fraud alert makes you eligible to receive one free report from each credit bureau. Look for inquiries from companies you didn’t contact and any unknown new accounts or debts. You’re also entitled to a free credit report each week from all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com.
File an identity theft report if applicable. Complete the online form at IdentityTheft.gov to receive your Federal Trade Commission (FTC) identity theft affidavit and a personalized recovery plan. Both the FTC affidavit and a police report may be required as evidence to dispute any fraudulent charges with your bank.
Change account passwords. You can change your Fidelity username, password, or security questions any time at Your Profile. Also consider using push notifications or an authenticator app as your preferred method of multi–factor authentication.
Sign up for credit monitoring. Fidelity is offering affected users 24 months of free credit monitoring through TransUnion’s TrueIdentity. You must register by January 31, 2025. Alternatively, Aura’s credit monitoring starts at $12 per month and can monitor credit cards, investment and bank accounts, and 401(k)s for signs of fraud.
Verify any data breach notices you receive. Fidelity began notifying individuals on October 9 via U.S. Mail. You can also call 1-844-528-1265, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET with any questions about the breach.
Consider placing an initial fraud alert on your credit file. This alert will stay on your report for 90 days and prevent creditors from making changes to your file without your consent. Call any one of the three nationwide credit reporting agencies to set up a fraud alert.
Check your credit reports. Placing a fraud alert makes you eligible to receive one free report from each credit bureau. Look for inquiries from companies you didn’t contact and any unknown new accounts or debts. You’re also entitled to a free credit report each week from all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com.
File an identity theft report if applicable. Complete the online form at IdentityTheft.gov to receive your Federal Trade Commission (FTC) identity theft affidavit and a personalized recovery plan. Both the FTC affidavit and a police report may be required as evidence to dispute any fraudulent charges with your bank.
Change account passwords. You can change your Fidelity username, password, or security questions any time at Your Profile. Also consider using push notifications or an authenticator app as your preferred method of multi–factor authentication.
Sign up for credit monitoring. Fidelity is offering affected users 24 months of free credit monitoring through TransUnion’s TrueIdentity. You must register by January 31, 2025. Alternatively, Aura’s credit monitoring starts at $12 per month and can monitor credit cards, investment and bank accounts, and 401(k)s for signs of fraud.
