Cetera Financial Group Data Breach (March 2026): What Was Exposed and What To Do

What to do now

Steps chosen from the information listed in the official filings. Your own letter may list more.

1. Freeze your credit at all three bureaus

   A credit freeze stops new credit accounts being opened in your name. It is free by law and you can lift it when you need credit: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

2. Get an IRS Identity Protection PIN

   An IP PIN stops someone else filing a tax return with your Social Security number. Get one from the IRS at irs.gov.

3. Contact your bank or credit union

   Review recent transactions, ask about account alerts, and ask whether a new account number is recommended.

4. Contact your state motor vehicle agency

   Ask your state's DMV what it recommends when a driver's license number has been exposed. Find your state's agency at USA.gov.

5. Watch for phishing calls, texts and emails

   Scammers often contact people after a breach, pretending to be the organization, a bank or a government agency. Do not give your Social Security number, passwords or codes to anyone who contacts you first.

6. Check your credit reports

   You can get free credit reports from all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com, the official site.

7. Report identity theft if you see signs of it

   The Federal Trade Commission's IdentityTheft.gov gives you a personal recovery plan.

Is the letter real?

Letters usually list a phone number for questions. We could not find an official copy of the letter, so check that the organization named in your letter appears in the official filings listed below before you call.

Never give your Social Security number, bank details or passwords to someone who contacts you first.

Timeline

1. Jul 7, 2025 Incident began (earliest date reported) source
2. Aug 21, 2025 Incident ended (latest date reported) source
3. Jan 30, 2026 Organization discovered the incident source
4. Mar 25, 2026 Reported to California AG source
5. Mar 27, 2026 Reported to Texas AG source

Sources

1. California Attorney General Notice filed Mar 25, 2026
   Filed as “Cetera Financial Group”
2. Texas Attorney General Notice filed Mar 27, 2026
   Filed as “Cetera Financial Group” · 1,398 Texas residents · total 42,947
   The link opens the agency's list; search it for the organization name.

Last updated Oct 20, 2026. Our summaries are written in our own words from the official filings above. Spotted an error? Report a correction.