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Class Action Complaint Filed Against People's United Bank

A class action complaint on behalf of all impacted People's United Bank customers has been filed today following revelations over the past several days that the bank failed to protect their customers' financial records and critical identity information.

Two weeks ago, James Hastings, a bank customer, revealed that he had uncovered major security breaches at several People's United Bank branches throughout Fairfield County. In particular, he discovered that People's United Bank apparently disposes customer information including financial transactions and social security numbers directly into open dumpsters with no redaction or protection from public dissemination. He has admitted to pulling thousands of such documents out of public dumpsters throughout Fairfield County.

"State banking laws require People's United Bank to keep its customer records private and secure," said Attorney Michael Stratton of the law firm Stratton Faxon. "Tossing these records into open dumpsters is a dangerous practice that exposes all of its customers to identity theft and unwelcome eyes prying into personal financial transactions."

Stratton continued, "It is obscene in this day and age of identity theft for People's United to have no system of shredding or incinerating documents. It is a basic security practice that, while time-consuming and costly is absolutely necessary to protect customers." Stratton Faxon brought the action for five People's United Bank customers and have asked the court to certify the case as a class action so that all impacted customers can benefit from the case and be protected.

Stratton explained the necessary remedy. "We need immediate information from People's United as to its security practices for disposing of financial records for every branch across the state. We need to know for how long this practice has gone on. We also need a legal order requiring them to protect customer records, and compensation for each class member so that identity protection can be purchased and credit reports monitored. Finally, given the highly offensive nature of this practice, we are asking for substantial punitive damages for the class members."