Is Wells Fargo leaking my personal data?

In a recent post I described some problems I was having with getting into various Wells Fargo online sites for our mortgage account. So today when someone wrote me with a question about that site, I wondered if it came from that posting, but they indicated they got my info when they tried to log on.

I’d read (but can not find any of the articles) a few months back about university registration websites revealing data from previous users when new people would come to the site – the fields you’d be filling in would actually be already filled in with someone else’s data. Is this happening to me, now?

From: Nwriter7@aol.com
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2004 17:06:57 EDT
Subject: i tried too (lol)
To: steve@portigal.com

I just wanna know where do you get started to set up your account to pay your bill each month? Can you help? I’m getting kinda teed off now, and bill is due. I’m about ready to pay the $20.00 fee for telephone payment now.

Thanks for help
Elizabeth

Ps i got your info.from trying to get into EBPP.WellsFargo.Com/MortgagePay

I wrote back
I don’t understand – did you find my entry on chittachattah.blogspot.com or did you find something else?

and this disturbing response
From: Nwriter7@aol.com
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2004 18:33:01 EDT
Subject: Re: i tried too (lol)
To: steve@portigal.com

i found it on wells fargo site. i’m in now. thanks for responding though.

I’m in disbelief, but also frustrated at the AOLish response – not too much info, not particularly good at communicating the specifics of a complex situation by email.
I followed up:

Sorry to bug you – but you found MY info on the Wells Fargo site? How did that work? Is my info coming up when you try to log in?

and they responded
From: Nwriter7@aol.com
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2004 18:38:24 EDT

Yes, it comes right up. Funny huh

Well, it’s not funny at all.

I found a computer security forum and post the story here, but the only response is from someone who doesn’t seem to have dealt with the situation very well and then turns into a cranky complaint about mortgage rates.

I’ve written Wells Fargo, but not heard back. I’m fairly certain I’m going to get a brainless response explaining how to log onto their site or something. I’ve written a local columnist who follows privacy and security issues at local companies. Any other ideas?

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