Wells Fargo targeted by hackers

SAN FRANCISCO - US bank Wells Fargo has notified 7,000 of its customers that hackers might have compromised their personal and account information after gaining access to security codes.

The bank, which became aware of the hack on July 1, has not confirmed how the hackers obtained the codes, or the identity of the "unauthorised persons" involved.

The bank admits that a number of unauthorised transactions have taken place using the breached codes, and that the endangered information includes account details, names, addresses, dates of birth, and social security and driver's licence numbers. Wells has been hit by a number of security breaches over the past few years, including the theft of computer-held mortgage information in 2006, and customer data from its Atlanta, Georgia office in 2004 and its Concord, California office in 2003. The bank has offered customers a year's subscription to its credit monitoring services.