On May 22, 2023, Freedom Mortgage Corporation filed a notice of data breach with the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation after learning that confidential consumer data entrusted to the company was subject to unauthorized access. Evidently, the incident was the result of a cybersecurity incident at one of the company’s vendors, Mortgage Industry Advisory Corporation (“MIAC”). Based on the company’s official filing, the incident resulted in an unauthorized party gaining access to consumers’ names and Social Security numbers. After confirming that consumer data was leaked, Freedom Mortgage began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals who were impacted by the recent data security incident.
If you received a data breach notification from Freedom Mortgage or MIAC, it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. While little is known about the Freedom Mortgage / MIAC data breach, this shouldn’t prevent potential victims from taking the necessary steps to protect themselves. To learn more about how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft and what your legal options are in the wake of the Freedom Mortgage data breach, please see our recent piece on the topic here.
What We Know So Far About the Freedom Mortgage Breach
News of the Freedom Mortgage data breach is still fresh; however, what we know at this point comes from the company’s filing with the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, a division of the state’s attorney general’s office. Unfortunately, the recent filing provides very little information about the breach. However, according to this source, we know that the incident resulted from a breach of MIAC’s computer system.
Evidently, on April 6, 2023, MIAC learned of a data security incident impacting its IT network. After conducting an investigation, on May 1, 2023, MIAC determined that certain consumer data stored on the company’s computer system was subject to unauthorized access. On May 2, 2023, MIAC informed Freedom Mortgage of the breach.
Upon discovering that sensitive consumer data was made available to an unauthorized party, Freedom Mortgage and MIAC began to review the affected files to determine what information was compromised and which consumers were impacted. While the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your name and Social Security number.
On May 22, 2023, MIAC sent out data breach letters on behalf of Freedom Mortgage to all individuals whose information was compromised as a result of the recent data security incident. MIAC is providing victims of the breach with free credit monitoring services.
More Information About Freedom Mortgage
Founded in 1990, Freedom Mortgage is a mortgage lender based in Boca Raton, Florida. The company offers a wide range of mortgage and refinance options, including FHA loans, VA loans, USDA loans, FHA cash out refinancing, and VA cash out refinancing. Freedom Mortgage employs more than 7,000 people and generates approximately $5.2 billion in annual revenue.