Universal Lenders Data Breach Affects 19,575 Customers

On January 14, 2025, Universal Lenders, LLC, based in Oak Park, Illinois, discovered a significant data breach. This breach affected approximately 19,575 individuals across the United States, with 1,096 impacted in Texas and 34 in Maine.

The breach was first detected on November 7, 2024, when Universal Lenders experienced a network disruption. The company promptly initiated an investigation with the help of independent cybersecurity experts. By December 5, 2024, the investigation revealed that certain files had been accessed and potentially acquired without authorization.

It was not until January 14, 2025, that Universal Lenders confirmed the presence of personal information within the compromised data including names, social security numbers, driver's license numbers, and financial information.

Universal Lenders' Response

In response to the data breach, Universal Lenders, LLC took immediate action to enhance its security measures and minimize the risk of future incidents. The company has offered affected individuals complimentary identity protection services through IDX, a leader in consumer identity protection. These services include up to 24 months of credit monitoring, dark web monitoring, a $1 million identity fraud loss reimbursement policy, and fully managed identity theft recovery services. Affected individuals have until April 21, 2025, to enroll in these services.

Universal Lenders has advised individuals to remain vigilant by reviewing their account statements and credit reports closely. They recommend reporting any suspicious activity to financial institutions and law enforcement authorities.

For further assistance, affected individuals can contact Universal Lenders at 1-877-720-8806, available Monday through Friday from 8 am to 8 pm Central Time, except holidays.

For more details on the breach as reported to the Maine Attorney General's office and the Texas Attorney General's office, you can visit their respective websites.