Citizens Bank Data Breach: Financial Information Exposed

Citizens Bank, N.A., one of the oldest and largest national banks in the United States, disclosed a data breach involving one of its vendors' systems. So far, 428 Massachusetts residents identified as affected.

According to the company's notification letter, the compromised information included data that typically appears on written checks such as names, addresses, and financial account numbers.

Citizens Bank's response to the breach

Citizens Bank is offering affected customers a complimentary two-year membership in Equifax Credit Watch Gold. This identity theft and credit monitoring service includes credit monitoring with email notifications, daily access to the Equifax credit report, and WebScan notifications.

The monitoring service also provides automatic fraud alerts, which encourage potential lenders to take extra steps to verify an individual's identity before extending credit.

To enroll, affected individuals should visit Equifax's activation page and enter the unique activation code provided in their notification letter. The deadline to enroll is April 30, 2027.

Citizens Bank also recommended that affected customers close any compromised accounts and open new ones. The company stated that all costs associated with closing and reopening accounts will be waived. Customers can call the bank's dedicated support line to be connected with representatives specifically designated to assist with this process.

For questions or additional support, affected customers can reach Citizens Bank at 1-866-950-8157. The support line operates Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. EST, and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST.

Steps to take if your information was exposed

• Review bank and credit card statements carefully. Look for any unauthorized transactions or suspicious activity on accounts and report them immediately to the relevant financial institution or local police department.
• Place a fraud alert or security freeze on credit files. Contact any one of the four nationwide consumer reporting agencies: Equifax (1-877-478-7625), Experian (1-888-397-3742), TransUnion (1-800-680-7289) or Innovis (1-800-540-2505).
• Request free credit reports. Visit AnnualCreditReport.com or call 1-877-322-8228, then review reports carefully for any unfamiliar accounts or inquiries.
• Report suspected identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission. Visit the FTC's identity theft resource page or call 1-877-438-4338 for guidance on next steps.
• Be cautious of phishing attempts. Watch for emails, calls or texts that reference Citizens Bank or this data breach by name, as scammers may try to use the situation to collect additional personal information.
• Consider opting out of pre-approved credit offers. Visit OptOutPrescreen.com to reduce the chance of unauthorized credit applications being opened using exposed personal information.