On October 18, 2023, Populus Financial Group filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of Texas after learning information that had been entrusted to the company was subject to unauthorized access. In this notice, Populus explains that the incident resulted in an unauthorized party being able to access consumers’ sensitive information, which includes their names, Social Security numbers, and financial account information. Upon completing its investigation, Populus began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals whose information was affected by the recent data security incident.
If you receive a data breach notification from Populus Financial Group, it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. While little is known about the Populus breach, the company has confirmed that at least 16,159 people in Texas alone were affected. It remains to be seen how many people in other states were also impacted. A data breach lawyer can help you learn more about how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft, as well as discuss your legal options following the Populus Financial data breach. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.
What Caused the Data Breach Affecting Populus Financial?
The Populus Financial data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. Unfortunately, Populus’ filing with the Attorney General of Texas provides only limited information on what led up to the breach, and the company does not appear to have posted a website notice explaining the incident.
However, based on the available information, we know that Populus filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of Texas on October 18, 2023. While the details of the incident remain unknown, after learning that sensitive consumer data was accessible to an unauthorized party, Populus Financial reviewed the compromised files to determine what information was leaked and which consumers were impacted. While the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your name, Social Security number, and financial account information.
The Texas Attorney General’s “Data Security Breach Reports” suggests that there were 16,159 people in Texas who were affected by the Populus data breach. Of course, there could be thousands of victims in other states, as well.
Populus Financial previously sent out data breach letters to anyone who was affected by the recent data security incident. These letters should provide victims with a list of what information belonging to them was compromised.
More Information About Populus Financial Group
Populus Financial Group, Inc. is a financial services company headquartered in Irving, Texas. Populus markets various products that are alternatives to traditional bank accounts, such as prepaid debit cards and mobile banking solutions. The company’s major brands include ACE Cash Express®, ACE Elite® Visa® Prepaid Debit Card, ACE Flare® Account by MetaBank® and Porte™. Populus Financial Group employs more than 2,600 people and generates approximately $1.5 billion in annual revenue.
