Michaels Stores Is Investigating Data Breach

[Redfairen]

Source: NY Times

In what may be the latest in a continuing spate of cyberattacks on American retailers, Michaels Stores said Saturday that it was investigating a potential security breach involving customers’ credit card information.

Michaels, an arts and crafts retailer based in Irving, Tex., said it was looking into reports of fraudulent activity on credit cards belonging to its customers. But the company said it had not yet confirmed a breach, and did not say how many credit cards were potentially compromised. The retailer operates more than 1,000 stores in the United States and Canada.

The Secret Service is investigating the breach, and is conducting separate inquiries of recent breaches at Neiman Marcus and Target.

“Although the investigation is ongoing, based on the information the company has received and in light of the widely reported criminal efforts to penetrate the data systems of U.S. retailers, Michaels believes it is appropriate to let its customers know a potential issue may have occurred,” the company said in a statement.



Read more: http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/01/26/technology/michaels-stores-is-investigating-data-breach.html?_r=0&referrer=

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. There was a warning of more data breaches

right after Target problem was in the news.

[bananas]

10. fuck, i'm going back to cash. nt

[dflprincess]

16. Or a credit card

you can always pay it off at the end of the month.

Using a debit card may give the crooks direct access to your bank account & while the bank is liable for any fraudulent charges I'd rather fight with my credit card company over a charge than convince the bank to put money back in my account.

[Cleita]

2. Oops! I shopped there recently for some knitting doodads.

However I used my debit card which they took as a credit card. Since it has to go through my bank account it will be easy enough to stop any breach in its tracks. So far nothing has been purchased.

[murielm99]

9. I bought a gift card from them,

but I bought it online. Is that safer?

[JDPriestly]

3. What good is the NSA surveillance if they couldn't catch that crime?

[Maedhros]

5. They're only looking for Thought Crime. [n/t]

[SoapBox]

7. ok...that's funny.

[quakerboy]

4. the crafty bastards (nt)

[Skittles]

6. STOP IT QUAKERBOY

YER KILLING ME

[SoapBox]

8. oh wait...this is even funnier!

[Sheldon Cooper]

11. n/t

[Heywood J]

12. Something I didn't know:

Michaels, whose major investors are Blackstone Group LP and Bain Capital LP, last year filed documents with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission to go public.

[dixiegrrrrl]

14. Neither did I.....

The South alone will keep Michaels rich...."proper" Southern homes are FILLED with gew-gaws
n' kitch, so with Michaels and the Hobby Lobby and Big Lots............we are decorated jus' fine!

[YOHABLO]

13. This could be a disaster for banks .. people WILL go to using cash only.

Next they'll be hitting Starbucks, Kroger, and the Quick Trip .. so what are people going to do? We're being spied on by one entity (U.S.Gov) and having our bank accounts hacked into by another. I mean when is someone going to take a stand and say .. technology is failing us big time.

[tomm2thumbs]

15. a lot of Michael's stores are around Target stores

hopefully it can be attributed to the earlier Target breach and these aren't new problems for consumers