Heights Finance Holdings Co. Data Breach Exposes Sensitive Customer Information
In August 2022, Heights Finance Holdings Co., a South Carolina-based consumer finance company, disclosed a data breach that compromised the personal and financial information of an undisclosed number of customers. The breach was reported to the Vermont Attorney General’s office, with at least 21 individuals in Vermont confirmed as affected, though the total number of impacted individuals across other states remains unclear.
The exposed data includes highly sensitive details such as names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, bank account and routing numbers, Social Security numbers, tax ID numbers, driver’s license and state ID numbers, dates of birth, and even personal information shared during customer service interactions.
Heights Finance, which operates under brands like Covington Credit, Quick Credit, and Southern Finance, specializes in personal installment loans, primarily serving individuals with limited access to traditional banking. The company was already facing legal scrutiny at the time of the breach, with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) filing a lawsuit in August 2023 alleging unfair and abusive loan refinancing practices.
Class action law firm Shamis & Gentile P.A. is now investigating the breach, advising affected individuals that they may be eligible for compensation for damages, credit monitoring, and other remedies. The firm is actively pursuing claims on behalf of those impacted.
Source: https://www.claimdepot.com/investigations/heights-finance-data-breach-2026
Heights Finance Corporation cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/heights-finance-corporation
Southern cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/southern
Sunset Finance cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/sunset-finance
"id": "HEISOUSUN1786584679",
"linkid": "heights-finance-corporation, southern, sunset-finance",
"type": "Breach",
"date": "8/2022",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "5",
"explanation": "Attack threatening the organization's existence"{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': 'Undisclosed (at least 21 in '
'Vermont)',
'industry': 'Financial Services',
'location': 'South Carolina, USA',
'name': 'Heights Finance Holdings Co.',
'type': 'Consumer Finance Company'}],
'customer_advisories': 'Affected individuals may be eligible for compensation '
'for damages, credit monitoring, and other remedies',
'data_breach': {'personally_identifiable_information': 'Yes',
'sensitivity_of_data': 'High',
'type_of_data_compromised': ['Names',
'Addresses',
'Phone numbers',
'Email addresses',
'Bank account and routing '
'numbers',
'Social Security numbers',
'Tax ID numbers',
'Driver’s license and state ID '
'numbers',
'Dates of birth',
'Personal information shared '
'during customer service '
'interactions']},
'date_publicly_disclosed': '2022-08',
'description': 'In August 2022, Heights Finance Holdings Co., a South '
'Carolina-based consumer finance company, disclosed a data '
'breach that compromised the personal and financial '
'information of an undisclosed number of customers. The breach '
'was reported to the Vermont Attorney General’s office, with '
'at least 21 individuals in Vermont confirmed as affected, '
'though the total number of impacted individuals across other '
'states remains unclear. The exposed data includes highly '
'sensitive details such as names, addresses, phone numbers, '
'email addresses, bank account and routing numbers, Social '
'Security numbers, tax ID numbers, driver’s license and state '
'ID numbers, dates of birth, and even personal information '
'shared during customer service interactions.',
'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': 'Potential reputational damage due to '
'legal scrutiny and class action '
'investigation',
'data_compromised': 'Personal and financial information',
'identity_theft_risk': 'High',
'legal_liabilities': 'Class action investigation and potential '
'lawsuits',
'payment_information_risk': 'High'},
'investigation_status': 'Ongoing (Class action investigation)',
'references': [{'source': 'Vermont Attorney General’s office'},
{'source': 'Shamis & Gentile P.A. (Class Action Law Firm)'}],
'regulatory_compliance': {'legal_actions': 'CFPB lawsuit (August 2023) and '
'class action investigation',
'regulatory_notifications': 'Reported to Vermont '
'Attorney General’s '
'office'},
'response': {'communication_strategy': 'Disclosure to Vermont Attorney '
'General’s office and affected '
'individuals'},
'title': 'Heights Finance Holdings Co. Data Breach Exposes Sensitive Customer '
'Information',
'type': 'Data Breach'}