Recently, Prudential Financial, Inc. (“Prudential”) filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of Massachusetts after discovering that information in the company’s possession was subject to unauthorized access. In this notice, Prudential explains that the incident resulted in an unauthorized party being able to access consumers’ sensitive information, which includes their names, addresses, dates of birth, partial Social Security numbers, annuity information, and account numbers. Upon completing its investigation, Prudential began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals whose information was affected by the recent data security incident.
If you received a data breach notification from Prudential Financial, Inc., it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. 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 Prudential Financial data breach. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.
What Caused the Prudential Financial Data Breach?
The Prudential Financial data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, Prudential’s filing with the Attorney General of Massachusetts provides only limited information on what led up to the breach. However, based on the available information, we know that Prudential recently discovered a data security incident that affected certain information about some annuity customers.
In response, Prudential launched an investigation to learn more about the incident and what, if any, customer information may have been leaked. Prudential was able to identify and correct the issue that caused the incident; however, the company’s investigation confirmed that certain customer data was subject to unauthorized access.
After learning that sensitive customer data was accessible to an unauthorized party, Prudential 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, address, date of birth, the last four digits of your Social Security number, the type of annuity product you purchased and related details, and the product policy and account number.
More recently, Prudential Financial 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 Prudential Financial, Inc.
Prudential Financial is a global financial services leader specializing in life insurance, retirement services, investment management, and other financial products. Headquartered in Newark, New Jersey, the company operates across multiple continents, serving individual and institutional clients in over 40 countries. The company employs approximately 41,000 employees and generates an estimated $73 billion in annual revenue.
