Citizens Bank of West Virginia
Data Breach Class Action Lawsuit

March 19, 2024 -- Attention: victims of the Citizens Bank of West Virginia data breach.

Abington Cole + Ellery is investigating the recently announced Citizens Bank of West Virginia data breach.

On November 27, 2023, Citizens Bank of West Virginia identified a security breach in which an unknown entity illegally infiltrated and encrypted several files within their system. In response to this security incident, the Citizens Bank of West Virginia claims it quickly isolated the issue and reinstated their network using backup data. To further address this breach, the bank engaged a specialized forensic security company to carry out a thorough examination to ensure the integrity of its computer network systems. The investigation revealed that from November 15 to November 27, 2023, the infiltrator had access to the bank's network, during which they managed to extract certain files.

It was determined that the breach was confined to specific areas of Citizens Bank of West Virginia's internal systems and did not extend to its core banking, digital banking, or payment processing platforms. On December 5, 2023, it became apparent that the intruder had obtained files containing personal information of some individuals.

Following this incident, Citizens Bank of West Virginia has implemented stronger cybersecurity protocols and minimized network access points to mitigate the risk of similar incidents occurring in the future. Additionally, the bank has reported the incident to federal law enforcement authorities and is actively supporting their ongoing investigation.

As a result of the data breach, Citizens Bank of West Virginia is offering 12 months of free credit monitoring and/or identity theft protection services to affected individuals.

Approximately 35,100 individuals were affected by the Citizens Bank of West Virginia data breach.

Breached data may include, but is not necessarily limited to: names and financial account data.

Additional information about the Citizens Bank of West Virginia data breach may be found here: Citizens Bank of West Virginia Data Breach Notification.

Citizens Bank of West Virginia is a community bank with local ownership, offering a broad range of banking, trust, and investment services to both individuals and businesses. Its main office is located in Elkins, West Virginia, and it operates additional branches in Beverly, Buckhannon, New Martinsville, Parsons, and Snowshoe.

The Citizens Bank of West Virginia Website may have additional information about or provide periodic updates regarding the data breach.

For more information about steps you can take to possibly reduce the chances harm arising from a data breach, please review the following article: What are some steps you can take if you've been the victim of a data breach?

If you believe you are a victim of the Citizens Bank of West Virginia data breach, and would like to participate in a class action lawsuit regarding this data breach, please submit your information via the form on this webpage. This website is not associated with nor authorized by Citizens Bank of West Virginia or any affiliated companies.