HEADS UP:Barnes & Noble says PIN pads in 63 stores hacked

AP via NBC ^ | 10/24/12 | AP via NBC

[Doogle]

Barnes & Noble said Tuesday that devices used by customers to swipe credit and debit cards have been tampered with in 63 of its stores in nine states.

The company warned customers to check for unauthorized transactions and to change their personal identification numbers, or PINs. It didn't say how many accounts may have been compromised.

But The New York Times, citing a high-ranking company official it did not name, reported that hackers had made unauthorized purchases on some customer credit cards.

The New York-based bookseller said in a statement Tuesday only one of the devices, known as PIN pads, was tampered with in each of the 63 stores. The stores are in California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.

[Doogle]

HEADS UP...something to pass around to those who use B&N

[Doogle]

ping

[Carriage Hill]

Back in June, my local PNC Bank’s Debit Card and bank account numbers were hacked shortly after a Sheetz Gas Station pump purchase swipe, but the 5-layer bank security questions stopped it cold. I was notified by phone/email alerts, and the accounts were immediately shut-down with no losses, after the first unsuccessful penetration attempt. I had to go to the main bank office, re-set my username/password/security questions, but that was a minor thing compared to being wiped-out by financial hackers.

[tanknetter]

I was in my local BN ( not in any of the named states) over the weekend and noticed that the self swipe machines had been removed and the cashiers were running the cards themselves.

[CodeToad]

This is exactly why I do not use “debit” and a PIN at any store. All stores have gone to trying to get everyone to use debit instead of credit options. If the credit system is too expensive then the systems needs to change itself and stop asking us to place our debit cards at risk.

[Jonty30]

I’m only aware of that pin pads cannot be hacked remotely, so it must have been an inside job. Somebody wearing a uniform, claiming that he’s there to do upgrades or maintenance.

[KosmicKitty]

Of course. After a year or more of avoiding B&N, I made two recent purchase there with my debit card. and I live in one of the states mentioned

Grrrr.

[Doogle]

ah, just do the pin change over the phone with the bank...*smiles*

[ammomajor]

you wrote: “This is exactly why I do not use “debit” and a PIN at any store. All stores have gone to trying to get everyone to use debit instead of credit options. If the credit system is too expensive then the systems needs to change itself and stop asking us to place our debit cards at risk.”
I only use debit card at the petrol pump and the commissary on post. Off post I use cash save for the odd large purchase such as auto repairs, and there I use credit card. The Romans said it best with ‘buyer beware’. By the way, I really like using cash. There is an enjoyable sense of making it harder for anyone to track my purchases when using cash.

[driftdiver]

The PCs the pin pads are connected to can be hacked, which amounts to the same thing.

Generally the thieves attach a device between the pin pad and the PC to capture the data. The stores are required to secure the cabling to prevent this but most do not.

[Chode]

glad i buy all my books online...