PNC Bank Cancels 16,000 Cards After Hack
PNC Bank Cancels 16,000 Cards After Hack
Source: Associated Press
PNC Bank deactivated about 16,000 check cards tied to the Visa brand after it was notified that a hacker gained access to millions of credit card numbers nationwide by breaking into a processing company’s computer system.
The bank canceled the cards Wednesday, notified affected customers by telephone and started to reissue cards, said PNC spokesman Pat McMahon said Thursday.
Customers worried about their accounts also can get information about their cards by visiting a bank branch, sending PNC an e-mail or calling the bank’s customer service number, he said.
About 3 million PNC customers have cards with a Visa logo.
PNC was the second bank to announce that it was canceling affected cards and issuing replacements. Earlier, Citizens Financial Group of Providence, R.I., canceled about 8,800 cards and issued replacements after being notified of the security breach.
Data Processors International, based in Omaha, Neb., confirmed Wednesday that “an unauthorized outside party” had tapped into its computer system, prompting a criminal investigation.
Data Processors International’s clients include mail-order and marketing businesses that run TV ads asking viewers to order products over the phone.
Credit card companies and the Secret Service have said that as many as 8 million account numbers were accessed. The card companies said they were notified of the incident early this month.
Credit card companies said they had received no reports of fraudulent activity involving the accounts as of late Wednesday.
Major card companies – including Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover – have policies in place that protect consumers from liability for fraudulent use of their accounts. All said they were monitoring affected accounts for suspicious activity.
—
On the Net:
DPI Merchant Services: http://www.dpicorp.com
PNC Bank: http://www.pnc.com
More science, space, and technology from RedNova
Copyright © 2003 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.