Lafayette Federal Credit Union Data Breach Class Action

At Console & Associates, our data breach lawyers are closely examining the recent Lafayette Federal Credit Union data breach. This data breach was disclosed following a cyber security incident at Lafayette Federal Credit Union, which may have affected individuals, potentially exposing sensitive personal identifiable information.

What Happened?

A recent report from the California Attorney General's office states that the Lafayette Federal Credit Union data breach occurred due to a cyber security incident involving unauthorized access to an employee's email account.

According to the filing, Lafayette Federal Credit Union discovered that an unknown party had gained access to the email account, which contained confidential member information. Upon discovery, the credit union immediately secured the compromised account and initiated an internal investigation, bringing in cybersecurity experts to assist and verify the security of their email systems.

The investigation confirmed that on September 16, 2024, an unauthorized party accessed the employee's email account, potentially exposing emails and attachments containing sensitive member data. While specific information about the types of data compromised wasn't detailed in the public filing, the breach likely involved personal and financial information typically maintained by financial institutions.

Following the discovery, Lafayette Federal Credit Union conducted a comprehensive review of all potentially compromised files to determine exactly what information was exposed and which individuals were affected. This review process was completed on February 5, 2025.

Data breach letters were sent out by Lafayette Federal Credit Union on March 20, 2025, informing affected individuals about the nature of the incident and compromised data. These personalized notifications should provide details about exactly what information was exposed in each case.

Steps To Take If You Were Affected By A Data Breach

1. Monitor all accounts and credit reports closely
   1. Set up alerts for suspicious activity
   2. Review all financial statements thoroughly
   3. Request free credit reports and examine them for unauthorized entries
      
      
2. Consider freezing your credit
   1. Contact all three major credit bureaus to place a freeze
   2. Understand this prevents new accounts from being opened in your name
   3. Remember to temporarily lift the freeze when applying for legitimate credit
      
      
3. Look out for phishing attempts using information from the Lafayette Federal Credit Union data breach
   1. Be wary of unexpected emails or messages claiming to be from Lafayette Federal Credit Union
   2. Don't click on suspicious links or download unexpected attachments
   3. Verify all communications through official channels
      
      
4. Change passwords for affected accounts
   1. Create strong, unique passwords for each account
   2. Use a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters
   3. Consider using a password manager for better security
      
      
5. Enable two-factor authentication where possible
   1. Add this extra layer of security to all important accounts
   2. Use authenticator apps rather than SMS when available
   3. Keep backup codes in a secure location

For more detailed guidance, explore our “Guide for Victims of a Data Breach” to better understand measures you can take to protect yourself after a data breach.

Lafayette Federal Credit Union Overview

Lafayette Federal Credit Union operates as a member-owned financial institution headquartered in Rockville, Maryland. As a credit union, it functions as a not-for-profit financial cooperative, providing banking services to its membership base throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and beyond.

The organization employs approximately 200 staff members and generates an estimated annual revenue of $50 million. Their operations include managing significant financial assets for thousands of members through both physical branch locations and digital banking platforms.

Lafayette Federal Credit Union's service offerings encompass a comprehensive range of financial products including checking accounts, savings accounts, certificates of deposit, various loan products (personal, auto, and mortgage), credit cards, and investment services. As a financial institution, they routinely collect and maintain substantial amounts of sensitive personal and financial information from their members.

This data collection is necessary for account management, loan processing, and compliance with various banking regulations. The types of information typically maintained include names, addresses, Social Security numbers, account numbers, loan information, payment histories, and other financial details - precisely the kinds of sensitive data that could be vulnerable in an email account breach.

Lafayette Federal Credit Union Data Breach Victims Have Rights - Don’t Wait to Act

How do you know that you were affected by the Lafayette Federal Credit Union data breach? Usually victims receive a NOTICE OF DATA BREACH in the mail, but the impact of a breach can be felt long before notices are sent to those affected. This can be in the form of fraudulent financial activity and other forms of identity theft.

If you believe you were affected, we encourage you to reach out to our data breach law firm for legal assistance through a no-cost consultation about your situation. We will review your eligibility to file a data breach class action lawsuit and discuss your legal rights and any compensation that may be available to you.

Complete our confidential contact form below and a member of our legal team will be in touch.