Patelco Credit Union banking services outage grinds on after last week's ransomware attack
More than a week after a ransomware attack at Patelco Credit Union left hundreds of thousands of customers without banking services, the credit union was still working to restore full functionality.
The Dublin-based credit union said in a July 9 email from CEO Erin Mendez to its members did not have a specific date on when its systems would be fully back to normal, but that its "infrastructure is stable, secure and we are making positive momentum daily toward our final goal: getting back to business."
The email said the company was working around the clock to catch up on processing transactions and expected to be completely caught up by the end of the week.
"Once that happens, we will be able to confirm the date when you will be able to access your accounts," said Mendez.
A previous note from Mendez assured customers that their money was "safe and secure" and that "we can see light at the end of the tunnel."
Last week, the Dublin-based credit union said the June 29 ransomware attack would prevent customers from accessing banking services for days or weeks.
As of Tuesday afternoon, customers could not use online banking or the mobile app, and balance inquiries, check cashing, and transactions using the Zelle digital payment network were unavailable.
There was limited functionality at Patelco branches, its call center, and with its live chat function. Debit and credit card transactions and outgoing wire transfers also had limited functionality, Patelco said.
Direct deposit, check and cash deposits, ATMs, automated clearing house (ACH) transfers initiated at other institutions, and ACH debits initiated by a biller were all available. Checks written on Patelco accounts were being processed and in-branch loan payments were also available, as were PayPal and Venmo transactions connected to Patelco accounts.
Patelco has 455,000 members holding over one million accounts, with 37 branches in the Bay Area and the Sacramento area.
The source of the ransomware attack has not been identified and Patelco has not said whether customers' personal information was at risk.
The latest information on the ransomware attack, including service availability can be found at patelco.org/SecurityUpdate.