Credit Union President Admits Information Breach

The president of the Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union said some of its employees improperly accessed confidential information of its members last year.

In a letter to members posted Friday on the credit union’s website, James Takamine said that the information breaches occurred at several branches and departments.

Takamine told West Hawaii Today that the information involved names, addresses and the last four digits of Social Security numbers of several hundred of the credit union’s 40,000 members.

He said that the information was accessed in connection with a petition drive for nominations for candidates to the credit union’s board, and that there did not appear to be any risk of identify theft.

Takamine’s letter said the notification of members came after the completion of an investigation into the matter by an attorney hired by the credit union.

He said that employees involved have been subject to discipline including termination, and the National Credit Union Association has been notified of the breach.

“Findings of the investigation will be turned over to the appropriate federal, state and local authorities to determine whether laws were broken,” Takamine’s letter said.

“The foundation of our relationship with members is based on trust and this accident does not reflect our values,” it said.

According to Takamine, new procedures were being implemented to prevent a reoccurrence.

Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union has five branches on the Big Island including three in Kona and one each in Kohala and Honoka‘a.