Affinion Group Acquires CardCops

NORWALK, Ct.– Affinion Group, a provider of affinity marketer solutions, has acquired Malibu, Calif.-based CardCops, an ID theft protection, data monitoring and analysis technology solutions leader. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. CardCops monitors the Internet for fraudulent activity involving consumers’ personal information such as credit card account, debit card account. PIN numbers, Social Security numbers, mother’s maiden name and many other types of personal information. CardCops said it collects compromised personal information from foreign “underground” chat rooms where full sets of personal information can be bought and sold by identity thieves for $10 to $30. In 2006, Affinion Group and CardCops partnered to launch a new tool called ID Secure to fight identity theft.