Toll Mounts In Cards Breach

SEATTLE - (06/27/05) -- Dozens of credit union around thecountry are starting to identity member accounts that may bethreatened from a huge security breach at CardSystems Solutions andmany are starting to recall and replace affected accounts. BoeingEmployees CU sent letters last week to 48,000 debit and creditcardholders whose account information be stolen. Oregon Communitynotified more than 7,000 of its members last week; and Watermark CUsent letters to 4,500 cardholders. John Annaloro, president of theWashington CU League, said last week as many as 100,000 members inthe northwest may have had their account information stolen fromthe third-party processor of Visa, MasterCard, American Express andDiscover cards, but no one knows yet how many of the accounts haveactually been penetrated. Other credit unions from around thecountry began notifying members as well: Harlingen Area TeachersCU, Professional FCU, Boeing Wichita CU. CardSystems said accountinformation from as many as 40 million cardholders--believed to bethe largest card security breach ever--may have been stolen by anonline hacker.