Thieves stole an undisclosed number of PIN pads from Hancock Fabrics Inc. stores, replacing them with counterfeit terminals that illegally captured customer card data. Store officials disclosed the thefts from an undisclosed number of its 264 stores in 37 states earlier this month. Executives believe the thefts occurred in August and September last year.
Company executives could not be reached for comment to learn from which stores the PIN pads were stolen. But company officials said in a statement the number of affected stores was “limited.”
Hancock Fabrics, a Baldwyn, Miss.-based fabric and sewing chain, warned customers to check account information and to notify their card issuers of any suspicious activity.
The fake PIN pads, visually identical to the real ones, collected cardholders’ names, card numbers, card-expiration dates and PINs.
Hancock Fabrics replaced the PIN pads in all stores with upgraded models. It also installed automated systems that resist tampering and is continuously monitoring the PIN pads for any suspicious activity, company officials said in a statement. The statement did not disclose the terminals’ manufacturer.
The FBI and local police are investigating the thefts. A spokesperson for the FBI office in Tupelo, Miss., did not return a call for comment, and local police declined to answer questions.
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