Certegy Identity Theft Probe Grows

An ongoing investigation by Fidelity National Information Services, Inc., has revealed that 8.5 million consumer records reported stolen in a July 25 SEC filing could be the tip of the stolen-data iceberg.

Fidelity, the Jacksonville, Fl.-based parent company of St. Petersburg-based Certegy, announced on July 3 it was investigating the theft of about 2.3 million consumer records, according to a story in yesterday’s Tampa Bay Business Journal. In the ensuing three weeks, an additional 6.2 million records were added to that initial report.

Some of the records contained only identifying information, such as name, address, telephone number and in some cases date of birth, the filing said.

About 5.7 million records, however, also included checking account information. About 1.5 million included credit card records.

Fidelity has filed a civil suit in Pinellas County Circuit Court against a former employee, William Sullivan, who is accused of misappropriating the data and selling it to third parties, the Journal reports.

Fidelity alleges that there continues to be no evidence that the stolen information was used for anything other than marketing purposes. The company also says, in its filing, that it does not expect any significant liability to consumers or for financial fraud.