Payment Card Data Breaches Are Still a Problem

With all of the high-tech hacking, malware attacks that cripple entire networks, and new ways to steal or fabricate someone’s complete identity, it’s easy to forget that some of the things that used to be problems in the past are, still a problem. On Aug. 16, a data breach was discovered that affected multiple Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen restaurants in numerous states. Investigators believe the operative first launched the breach in early November of 2017 and continued through Jan. 2. More than 500,000 payment cards were compromised in the breach. The company has sent out notification letters to the victims and offered identity monitoring for the affected customers. They also revamped the payment card system in April of this year, but still advise all of their customers to monitor their account information very closely for any signs of suspicious activity. This incident clearly demonstrates that “old-fashioned” methods of stealing identifying and financial information are still out there, even if they’re sometimes overshadowed by larger events like the or the cyber attack that hit last year. Even old tactics like dumpster diving for your junk mail or health insurance statements can lead to identity theft crimes, even if they’re on a much smaller scale than a data breach like this one. To help minimize the risks associated with this kind of incident, there are steps that consumers can take: 1. Enable alerts on your payment cards – If your financial institution offers it, you can set up text or email alerts that tell you any time your card number is used without the physical card being present. If your account info is stolen in a breach like this one, you’ll know if someone uses your card fraudulently. One person who contacted the Identity Theft Resource Center was on her child’s school trip when she received an alert; a quick call to her credit card company showed that someone had used her account number to buy several iPhones at a cellular store. The transaction was promptly canceled and a new card sent to the victim. 2. Monitor your accounts closely – By taking even a quick peek at your account statements on a regular basis (something you can even set up to do online or on your mobile device), you can stay on top of any unusual activity. 3. Place a credit freeze – This event only compromised the customers’ payment card numbers, but in this climate of record-setting data breaches, some consumers are opting for preventive credit freezes. New legislation goes into effect next month that will remove the fee associated with freezing and unfreezing your credit, which helps prevent new accounts from being opened with your identifying information. If more sensitive information is stolen in other data breaches, you’ll be better prepared to fend off identity theft and fraud.

Contact the Identity Theft Resource Center for toll-free, no-cost assistance at (888) 400-5530. For on-the-go assistance, check out the free ID Theft Help App from ITRC.