Two of the most convenient advances in modern society are credit and debit cards. It was not that long ago that consumers had to pay cash for every purchase, which created risks associated with carrying large amounts of cash. Today, most consumers make purchases using a credit or debit card. Unfortunately, not all retailers take sufficient care to safeguard their customers’ credit and debit card data, with the often-predictable result that criminals steal that information and commit identity theft and credit card fraud to the direct detriment of consumers. Barnes & Noble may be just such a company. Earlier today, Barnes & Noble disclosed for the first time that there has been widespread tampering with its PIN pad devices. According to Barnes & Noble:
The tampering, which affected fewer than 1% of PIN pads in Barnes & Noble stores, was a sophisticated criminal effort to steal credit card information, debit card information, and debit card PIN numbers from customers who swiped their cards through PIN pads when they made purchases. This situation involved only purchases in which a customer swiped a credit or debit card in a store using one of the compromised PIN pads.
What is most shocking is that Barnes & Noble has been aware of the breach since September but has only now publicly admitted the issue. It is also unclear whether Barnes & Noble is offering credit protection services to those customers affected. If you used a credit or debit card at a Barnes & Noble store, you may be at risk for identity theft and credit card fraud.
If you or someone you know used a credit or debit card at a Barnes & Noble store, please contact us to discuss your legal options.