(DCWatchdog.com) – In a disturbing development, Bank of America has alerted millions of its customers to a serious breach of their personal information, raising questions about the megabank’s data security measures.
See the tweet below!
The incident, stemming from a mishap by a third-party document destruction vendor, occurred late last year, but the consequences are only now coming to light.
It’s a stark reminder of the potential dangers lurking in careless handling of sensitive materials.
On March 17, 2025, Bank of America informed affected customers about a breach of sensitive data, including Social Security numbers and financial account details.
The breach occurred on December 30, 2024, when a third-party vendor failed to secure documents during transport.
The bank serves 69 million customers, but the exact number impacted remains undisclosed, reports The Washington Times.
This latest breach is part of a concerning trend as other major banks like Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase have also faced data security issues in recent years.
While only two Massachusetts residents were confirmed affected, it’s believed the mishandling could reach millions.
The failure of the vendor to identify all impacted documents leads to a broad warning to potentially affected clients.
“A document destruction vendor did not secure bank-related materials appropriately in transport. Some documents were found outside of the secure containers on the exterior of the financial center,” Bank of America said.
Bank of America is taking measures to mitigate further damage by offering two years of identity theft protection services free of charge.
However, the fact that a similar breach affected 414 customers earlier in January 2025, only underscores the need for stronger data protection practices and thorough vetting of third-party providers.
The revelation has sparked renewed concerns over the bank’s efforts to safeguard customer data.
The bank advises customers to monitor their accounts for fraud and contact their state Attorney General for identity theft prevention guidance.
More than just a warning, this incident exposes a systemic vulnerability in how large financial institutions manage third-party vendors and customer data security.
Bank of America sent out a warning to some customers alerting them to a possible breach of their personal data following a third party’s vendor mishap with physical documents late last year.https://t.co/vgxWlXMrj7
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) March 12, 2025
Copyright 2025, DCWatchdog.com
