Michaels Stores announced that approximately 2.6 million cards may have been affected in a security breach. In addition, the corporation says Aaron Brothers, its subsidiary, was also hacked by criminals using malware. About 400,000 cards may have been affected.
Warning of a possible security threat first surfaced in January. Data that may have been compromised includes payment card numbers and expiration dates. Michaels says they can find no evidence that other customer personal information, such as name, address or PIN, was at risk.
Michaels says they will assist customers affected by the breach by providing fraud assistance, identity protection and credit monitoring services for 12 months at no cost. They also state that the malware is no longer a threat to shoppers at Michaels or Aaron Brothers.
In an era where very sophisticated and determined criminals have proven capable of successfully attacking a wide range of computer networks, we must all increase our level of vigilance. Michaels is committed to working with all appropriate parties to improve the security of payment card transactions for all consumers.â€
For more information about the investigation, visit the Michaels and Aaron Brothers websites at www.michaels.com and www.aaronbrothers.com.