40 Million Credit Card Numbers Stolen [maybe]

In summary, Mastercard International warned that a security breach of customer information could expose up to 40 million cardholders of multiple brands to fraud. The breach involved an "unauthorized individual" infiltrating the computer network of a third-party payment processor, and may have stolen up to 14 million MasterCard accounts.
  • #1
Ivan Seeking
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An "unauthorized individual" infiltrated the computer network of a third-party payment processor and may have stolen up to 40 million credit card numbers, MasterCard International revealed Friday. All brands of credit cards were exposed in the attack; about 14 million of the 40 million accounts exposed were MasterCard accounts, the firm said. [continued]
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8260050/

 
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  • #2
Wow, better look out for any new billionaires in town.
 
  • #3
Make my day why don't you!

Can you trust Mastercard?

NEW YORK - A security breach of customer information at a credit card transaction company could expose to fraud up to 40 million cardholders of multiple brands, MasterCard International Inc. said Friday.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050618/ap_on_bi_ge/credit_cards_breach

And I got a whole bunch of phish today claiming to be eBay safe support!
 
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  • #4
I'm actually less worried about a stolen credit card number than identity theft. I've had someone use a credit card number of mine before for a rather grandiose vacation in France (or at least the price tag was grandiose). The credit card company flagged the charges and deactivated the card before I even knew there was a problem yet (I found out when I called to find out why my card wasn't working). Of course, since all the charges were in a foreign country, it was easy to prove it wasn't me, but they never even required I prove it since it was clearly a huge deviation from my usual spending patterns. I just had to fill out a bunch of paperwork, and it took a few months to catch all the charges as they trickled in, then reverse the interest fees that automatically added on when I didn't pay those charges, but they were always easy to work with and I just needed to make one call each month when each new statement came into inform them of the charges that were still appearing, etc.

Since I have very regular spending patterns, it's easy to flag unusual activity on my accounts.
 
  • #5
Moonbear said:
I'm actually less worried about a stolen credit card number than identity theft. I've had someone use a credit card number of mine before for a rather grandiose vacation in France (or at least the price tag was grandiose). The credit card company flagged the charges and deactivated the card before I even knew there was a problem yet (I found out when I called to find out why my card wasn't working). Of course, since all the charges were in a foreign country, it was easy to prove it wasn't me, but they never even required I prove it since it was clearly a huge deviation from my usual spending patterns. I just had to fill out a bunch of paperwork, and it took a few months to catch all the charges as they trickled in, then reverse the interest fees that automatically added on when I didn't pay those charges, but they were always easy to work with and I just needed to make one call each month when each new statement came into inform them of the charges that were still appearing, etc.

Since I have very regular spending patterns, it's easy to flag unusual activity on my accounts.
I'm sorry, I didn't know they would deactivate your card. I just needed a vacation. :cry:
 
  • #6
Evidently these companies don't know what encryption is.

Also, I was going through some old reciepts and noticed that a bunch of companies, like pizza hut, print your full credit card number, expiration and name on the reciept. This really worries me because I'm sure if you go through their garbage you'll find a boat load of credit card numbers.
 
  • #7
dduardo said:
Evidently these companies don't know what encryption is.

Also, I was going through some old reciepts and noticed that a bunch of companies, like pizza hut, print your full credit card number, expiration and name on the reciept. This really worries me because I'm sure if you go through their garbage you'll find a boat load of credit card numbers.
I never check my credit card statements closely anymore and I should. My friend in Italy recently found an online purchase of software from Sweden made on his account. Of course the credit card company dismissed the charge and issued him a new card. My charge purchases can get quite large at times and I don't look over every line, I should.
 
  • #8
They can have my credit card numbers. They'll be declined every time they attempt to make a purchase.
 
  • #9
and just how is that, loseyourname?
 

FAQ: 40 Million Credit Card Numbers Stolen [maybe]

What happened in the "40 Million Credit Card Numbers Stolen" incident?

In this incident, a hacker or group of hackers gained unauthorized access to a database containing 40 million credit card numbers, potentially exposing sensitive information of millions of customers.

How did the hackers steal the credit card numbers?

The exact method used by the hackers is unknown, but it is likely that they exploited vulnerabilities in the security system of the affected company's website or network. This could have been through phishing emails, malware, or other forms of cyber attacks.

Who is responsible for the security breach?

The responsibility for the security breach lies with the company that owned the database and failed to adequately protect the sensitive information of their customers. However, the hackers who carried out the attack are also at fault for their illegal actions.

What can customers do to protect themselves after this incident?

Customers should closely monitor their credit card statements and report any suspicious activity to their bank or credit card company immediately. They may also consider placing a fraud alert on their credit report and changing their passwords for any online accounts associated with the affected credit card.

How can companies prevent similar incidents from happening in the future?

Companies can prevent similar incidents by implementing strong security measures, regularly updating their systems and software, and conducting thorough risk assessments. They should also educate their employees about cybersecurity and have protocols in place for responding to security breaches.

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