<![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice - Consumerist Comments]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice - Consumerist Comments]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> On the subject of file backup, sharing and storage ...

Online backup is becoming common these days. It is estimated that 70-75% of all PC's will be connected to online backup services with in the next decade.

Thousands of online backup companies exist, from one guy operating in his apartment to fortune 500 companies.

Choosing the best online backup company will be very confusing and difficult. One website I find very helpful in making a decision to pick an online backup company is:

[www.BackupReview.info]

This site lists more than 400 online backup companies in its directory and ranks the top 25 on a monthly basis.

goorsha

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> In addition to carrying a back up debit/credit card, I'd also recommend keeping at least $100 in emergency cash on you or within reach at all times - be it in your wallet/purse, your glove box, or hidden elsewhere in your car. The important thing is to not touch it until you absolutely need it; being so low on gas and with no money definitely counts as one of those.

Osagasu

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> @BlackFlag55: Sorry, had to laugh.... taint.

verucalise

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> My wife and I each carry two credit cards. Both of us carry our primary Discover for the cashback, then each of us has a different MC/Visa as backup. That way, if we can't use Discover, or if a wallet/purse goes awol and accounts get canceled, the other is not without a card.

Especially when you're on a trip out of state and Discover decides your travels may be fraudulent and suspends card activity when you're trying to get gas and a hotel room after putting in 500 miles on a motorcycle. Next trip, I'm calling Discover before I leave.

We had a brick & mortar store lose our Discover number to thieves. After getting the new card issued, which, by the way, involved rolling our existing (and verified) charges into the new account, we found out (the hard way) that our secure single use numbers were not rolled over to the new account, and were canceled as well. What I did was to get another, separate, Discover account to use only with the single use numbers and to never activate the cards or use the actual card number itself. The single use numbers can be singly canceled if compromised, and I don't have to worry about editing all my online accounts. If the card we carry gets stolen, we just get a new one with minimal disruption.

Ragman

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> @Xerloq: I believe you misread my comment. Yes. Wells Fargo does have this and I am aware of it and use it like you do. What I am saying is that it would be nice if Wells Fargo (and other companies) that are already offering such features used them in a more constructive, personal way. For Joseph, if they had notified him by his account - since, as I also said to all everyone is unrealistic - then at least he (and 124,999 other customers) would have been potentially notified BEFORE they went to use their card to be declined.

etelford

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> WF shipped me a new debit card several years ago with no explanation. I called, concerned about this move. Got a bovine explanation and finally leraned from a family member deep into cyber security that WF had been penetrated and several million accounts compromised courtesy of a giant retailer.

One of the many reasons, as I've said before, I've gone back to carrying cash. These technology driven exchange mechanisms like credit cards and debit cards have not improved my life, rather, have created a metaphorical gun pointed at my track record all the time. T'ain't worth it.

BlackFlag55

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> @dariasofi: According to [www.infoplease.com] , which cites the Federal Reserve as their source, Wells Fargo is the 6th biggest bank in the United States, measured in terms of assets.

Maybe you haven't heard of them as a Consumerist reader because their customer service is good enough that they generate very few horror stories that show up here. I've banked with them for 12 years and am satisfied with the service I've gotten.

Garbanzo

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> @tptcat: Wells Fargo does have this feature. I get messages all the time. (Just set up your email to forward messages from your bank to your cell phone and voila! mobile alerts!) I've got free checking, no atm fees, free overdraft to my CC, and a 4% fixed CC interest rate. I've always had good experiences with them.

I agree, though, that it would be tough to notify 125,000 people overnight that their cards were compromised and deactivated. Unrealistic.

If you had a call center w/ 1000 employees, at 5 minutes per call, it would take 10 business hours to notify everyone. It doesn't seem like 10 hours had passed since he last used the card. (I don't consider automation an option because a computer can't answer the inevitable questions when a customer is told their cards are canceled.)

And, no I don't work for WF. I work for a large software company.

Xerloq

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> My bank pulled this same thing on me, and it wasn't Wells Fargo.

I didn't find out until I got a message informing me that the account # for my ebill had been changed). They said a new card was sent out two days ago.

This was today that I found it. I called in and they claim I should be able to still use the card if I need to, though. But just in case I'm going to use my other credit card.

Now I have to see if the only two recurring bills I have are on that card (I don't think so, but best to check) and move them if so.

Buran

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> At least they cancelled the cards immediately. Would have been nice if they told people about it, though.

TechnoDestructo

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> Jesus Christ, I hope my card isn't compromised

Lucky225

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> @dariasofi: Wells Fargo is a HUGE bank in the Western US. Out here we hardly ever hear of Wachovia. Should we assume Wachovia is small?

deleterious

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> Great, one honest CSR at a Wells-Charge-o and you have to get him fired by putting his name up. Sorry, Joseph, no good deed goes unpunished.

FightOnTrojans

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> there's a reason why I bank at a different bank when I work at Wells Fargo.

eco

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> This probably explains why I was sent a new card with 12+ months remaining on my existing card, and why it was declined without warning.

seamer

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> @dragonfire81:

Hear hear!!

That's why you should be afraid of the big banks attempts to use their legislative clout to go after Credit Unions through the Bank's cronies in Congress and the Bush Administration. See the latest Treasury proposal for another example of this.

highmodulus

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> Let's hear it for credit unions.

dragonfire81

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> Wells Fargo bought out our mortgage a few years ago and if I didn't have my house for sale now, I'd be refinancing with someone else. Their collections departent calls me now and usually the conversation goes something like "I'm not sure why the system called you, I see your payment posted two days ago and on time" and I've never been late with them yet every month their collections department calls me. Half the time when they call I just get a recording talling me to call their number and when I call it I get another message stating that I'm outside normal business hours, call back.

enine

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> @blackmage439: Good advice to not have your cards linked to an account. But if you lost your wallet, that's a lot of cancelling to do. Also, with that many cards, it takes a fair amount of discipline to make sure you're not overspending. If you have the organizational prowess, that's great. I unfortunately, do not. I do credit card, debit card, and travel visa. I try to use just my credit card and only use debit for cash.

ARP

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> I'm a Wells Fargo customer and I've been very pleased with their service - at least at my local branches and compared to the service I received (or didn't) from BofA(ss) and HSBC. I would be pissed if this ever happens to me.

That said, if it DID happen, I wouldn't expect Wells Fargo to call me since in this case it seemed to have affected 125,000 accounts. That's just unrealistic. What I would expect, however, is a note in my account message center stating that my account was involved in such a situation and that I'll need another card. Not ideal, but better than not knowing at all. I'm surprised that companies don't use these features - like the inbox you get with you online account access - in more of a personal way.

tptcat

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> @dariasofi: Just do a search here on Wachovia and you will find plenty of complaints.

How ironic that you start it out as "smaller" banks...do you happen to work for Wachovia?

theblackdog

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> Three simple answers can solve these types of problems.

1. Don't use debit cards. Period. They are horrendously insecure. Besides, why in god's name are you using something tied to your bank account??? If you're like me, and you have your checking account tied to your savings for overdraft-prevention, a thief could easily clean out BOTH accounts. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Credit cards add multiple layers of security through non-linkage to your bank account, fraud protection, and more.

2. Multiple cards are a winner. In my wallet right now, I have my gas rebates card, Discover card for their 5% cash-back deals, my normal spending rewards card, and finally my debit/ATM card. Unless I'm in the extremely rare situation where a place does not except credit, I never feel cash-strapped. Besides, in this day and age, rewards cards are a dime a dozen. There's no excuse not to have one.

3. Stay away from the depression-causing large banks. Find a local, sizable, well-known bank o do you business with. Often times, they offer better interest rates than the big guys. My family has been banking at our local major bank, West Suburban, for over 20 years. I can tell you for sure their rates bury Bank of American and the Dupage Credit Union (who, being a credit union, is supposed to have superior rates to banks...).

Geez people, please protect yourselves.

blackmage439

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> You know what? Be GLAD. At least the bank acted to protect you. And this may not even be the banks' fault, could be a 3rd party breach.

Btw, when these things happen, best to call/visit your local branch instead of the 800 number. Ask them to overnight you a new card, they will do it for no charge.

Ailu

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> Wow, these stories about smaller banks and bad CS treatment amaze me! I have not had any issues with Wachovia and keep my savings in an online bank account. The new online guys seem to have the best CS I've experienced so far in financial services.

dariasofi

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> Data breached TWICE? No notification, consumer finds out when his card is denied? When consumer calls, he is initially lied to about the reason for deactivation?

Class action baby!

SkokieGuy

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> O-ho the Well Fargo wagon is-a screwin' up your life!

homerjay- Smiling politely

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> Here is another site to monitor:

[breachalerts.trustedid.com]

NoWin

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> I'm all for blaming banks when they screw up, but did you stop to think that MAYBE Wells canceled the card because some MERCHANT compromised his card? In that case (usually is), Visa/MC requires the bank to deactivate it, AND the bank can NOT tell you the compromising party. That is the law. (VISA/MC and Fed Privacy regs applies to businesses, as well as you and me)

Here is a current list of breaches:

[www.privacyrights.org]

NoWin

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> Yikes. Times like this, I thank god I have a checking account with 1 bank, and a savings account with another... and 2 different ATM cards, on top of checks and a hidden stash of cash at home.

Contingency plans for all!

verucalise

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> Whatever you do, Joseph, DON'T SWITCH TO BofA!

tptcat

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> If you don't want a separate account or to get another credit card, some banks offer reloadable visa/MC for travel. Careful though, some charge monthly fees, inactivity fees,etc. So look for one that might charge you up front, but doesn't have all the other maintenance fees and use fees. Inactivity fees are easy to get around (use it once a year). I carry one with me with $400 in case of emergencies.

ARP

]]> <![CDATA[Wells Fargo Allows Your Data To Be Breached - Twice]]> This whole data/card/identity breach situation is out of control. The system is badly broken.

Pro-Pain

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