On January 14, 2025, Bankers Cooperative Group, Inc. (“BCG”) filed a notice of data breach with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (“HHS-OCR”) after confirming unauthorized access to an employee email account. As a result, the incident resulted in an unauthorized party being able to access sensitive information belonging to employees of 221 different companies. Upon completing its investigation, BCG began sending out data breach notification letters to employees whose information was affected by the recent data security incident.
If you received a data breach notification from Bankers Cooperative Group, 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 Bankers Cooperative Group data breach. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.
What Caused the Bankers Cooperative Group Data Breach?
The Bankers Cooperative Group data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, BCG’s filing with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights, as well as the company’s website notice, provide important information on what led up to the breach.
According to these sources, on August 13, 2024, BCG detected suspicious activity within an employee’s email account. In response, BCG disabled the affected account and then launched an investigation to learn more about the incident, its causes, and whether any confidential information in the company’s possession may have been compromised.
On August 28, 2024, BCG wrapped up its investigation after confirming that the unauthorized party accessed certain emails in the employee’s account that contained confidential information to employees of various other organizations.
After learning that sensitive employee data was accessible to an unauthorized party, BCG reviewed the compromised files to determine what information was leaked and which consumers were impacted. This process was completed on November 15, 2024, and on December 13, 2024, BCG began notifying the employers of the affected employees.
The employers impacted by the Bankers Cooperative Group data breach include:
- Academy House
- Amboy Bank
- Ascendia Bank
- BCB Bank
- Bogota Savings Bank
- Children’s Aid and Family Services, Inc.
- Columbia Bank
- Comprehensive Cancer and Hematology Specialists
- Crest Savings Bank
- DP Property Management
- Five Rivers Bank
- Franklin Savings Bank
- Haven Savings Bank
- Mast Construction Services, Inc.
- NVE Bank
- Peapack-Gladstone Bank
- Somerset Regal Bank
- Sturdy Savings Bank
- Union County Savings Bank
- United Roosevelt Savings Bank
- Village Office Supply
Unfortunately, neither BCG’s filing with the HHS-OCR nor the company’s website notice mention the type of information that was leaked. However, Bankers Cooperative Group recently began sending out personalized 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 Bankers Cooperative Group, Inc.
Bankers Cooperative Group, Inc. is a professional services organization providing a range of insurance products and risk management solutions for banks and financial institutions. Headquartered in Glen Rock, New Jersey, the company specializes in offering tailored insurance coverage, including property and casualty, liability, and employee benefits. Bankers Cooperative Group maintains a focus on understanding the unique needs of financial institutions. The organization employs approximately 35 people and generates an estimated $7 million in annual revenue.
