MONTREAL, Quebec–Among the victims of the huge data breach among credit unions that are part of Desjardins Group–a breach suspected to be an inside job–is the former president of the organization.
The breach is believed to involve as many as 2.7 million people and 173,000 businesses.
Claude Béland, president of Desjardins from 1987 to 2000, told Radio-Canada that in the wake of the breach three companies have now contacted him claiming he owes them money. Béland told Radio-Canada that when he contacted the companies to tell them they had made a mistake, he was informed that his Canadian social insurance number was on file — despite the fact that he had never done business with them.
“They had all my data," Béland was quoted as saying.
Significant Info Breached
As CUToday.info most recently reported here, a yet-to-be-identified former employee of The Desjardins Group is suspected of stealing information on the 2.7 million members who are part of Desjardin credit unions in Quebec and Ontario that includes names, addresses, birth dates, social insurance numbers, email addresses and information about transaction habits. Desjardins representatives have said passwords, security questions and personal identification numbers were not compromised.
The Desjardins Group is cautioning the affected members that fraudsters may contact them under the pretext they are connected to the member’s credit union and are providing security measures and updates in order to extract personal information.
In all, some 40% of Desjardins CU members are believed to be affected, including Beland.
After Béland made his discovery, he told Radio Canada he contacted Equifax, which told him they would not be able to take on his file until next month.
Few Members Take Advantage
Three weeks after announcing the breach, Desjardins Group reported that just 11% of affected members had signed up for the credit monitoring being provided without charge through Equifax. Members told Radio Canada they have had trouble getting service from the agency in French. Desjardins said those who sign up for credit monitoring through the web portal will have immediate protection.
A Different Type of Breach
Béland, incidentally, told Radio-Canada the Desjardins of today is a far cry from the way it was when the credit union's clients would deal directly with tellers.
"They are no longer members. They are customers," Béland remarked, saying as credit unions have grown, the culture has changed. "I am very surprised," he said of the breach. "[I am] more worried than disappointed."