Retailer The Wet Seal Inc. acknowledged March 29 it was one of several retailers targeted by a card data-theft ring involving Albert Gonzalez, the hacker a U.S. District Court in Massachusetts sentenced last week for his role in stealing consumer card and financial information from a string of companies.
Wet Seal, which specializes in offering clothing for young women, became aware in May 2008 that a criminal entity obtained unauthorized access to its information systems in an attempt to steal customers’ credit and debit card data, Ed Thomas, Wet Seal president and CEO, said in a statement. An investigation by an unnamed third-party computer-forensics firm found no evidence to indicate the hackers obtained any consumer card data or personal information, Thomas said.
“In working with the major credit card-processing agencies, we also have identified no instances of credit card fraud to suggest that any such data was taken,” he said.
Within two days of discovering the unauthorized access, Wet Seal enacted updated security measures to eliminate vulnerabilities to its systems, according to the company. The retailer also says it has achieved compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard.
A Wet Seal representative did not return requests for comment by deadline.
The federal court in Massachusetts on March 25 sentenced Gonzalez to 20 years in prison for his role in stealing financial data from TJX Cos., BJ’s Wholesale Club, Office Max, Dave & Busters, Barnes & Noble and other companies (
The theft of credit card data cost financial institutions, insurers and cardholders an estimated $200 million, according to law-enforcement records.
