MONTREAL, Canada–The massive 2018 data breach last year at Desjardins credit unions has turned out to be bigger than originally thought, affecting all 4.2 million of its members, according to the organization.
As CUToday.info reported here, it was initially suspected the breach involved 2.7 million people who belong to Desjardins credit unions in Quebec. A former employee is allegedly responsible for the breach of data that included names, addresses, birth dates, social insurance numbers, email addresses and information about transaction habits.
But now Quebec provincial police "informed us that this breach of personal information concerns a greater number than that which was communicated in June," Desjardins president and chief executive Guy Cormier told a news conference here. “It is 4.2 million, so all of our individual members, who are affected.”
Desjardins has reassured its members it will continue to provide support -- including both financial redress and the services of lawyers and psychologists -- in the event of fraud or identity theft related to the data breach.