I just got a replacement credit card in the mail. I wasn't expecting it because none of my cards expire any time soon. To my surprise, the new card also had a new number.

This sparked my curiosity. I dug around in the envelope and discovered this notice:

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ATTENTION: IMPORTANT SECURITY NOTIFICATION!
Citi Cards has learned that your account number as indicated on the attached card carrier may have been compromised/stolen from an outside party and could be at risk for unauthorized use.

Please call the toll-free number on the sticker affixed to the enclosed new Citi Card plastic(s) as soon as possible so that the account number indicated on the attached card carrier can be closed for your protection and your new Citi Card plastic(s) activated for immediate use...

I never reported a fraudulent charge on this card, nor is there any unusual charge on my current statement. I think that this is probably part of a security breach where someone got away with a list of card numbers and other personal information from their databases.

'Problem is that I never heard about any such breach on the news and a Google news search turns up bupkis... except... they lost an unencrypted tape containing intimate details on 3.9 million customers in May of 2005. I hope against all evidence that they did not wait more than 2 years to take action after that lapse in security!

While it's pleasing that they've replaced my card without my having make a request, it's also disturbing that they offer no details as to the timing or extent of the breach. Thus, for all I know, someone has been walking around for 2 years with not just my card number, but also every bit of information the card company has gathered on me over the years, including my social security number, credit history, mother's maiden name purchase-record and a list of addresses for me.

When I called the company to ask about it, I was told that I'd have to speak to someone in their fraud division after the weekend if I wanted further information.

Has anyone else here received a new AT&T/Citi Card in a similar fashion recently?

'Anyone found any details on the extent of the stolen info? Is this a new lapse of security or did they really wait 2 years to act on their last big blunder?

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MacMagus

This sparked my curiosity. I dug around in the envelope and discovered this notice:

Quote


ATTENTION: IMPORTANT SECURITY NOTIFICATION!
......... can be closed for your protection ...

Note that they are implying that YOU are liable for losses that occur even though it may well be that the leak is on their side. Another issue is what it potentially does to your credit rating... i.e you now have a brand new CC account with no history instead of an account of long standing. And maybe even a note in their databases associating it with potential fraud ...
On the positive side they admit some sort of issue and have acted to do something about it. While they may not be telling you everything, it looks like they are not lying outright.

> Another issue is what it potentially does to your credit rating... i.e you now have a brand
> new CC account with no history

That's not a concern. It's treated as the same line of credit, just with a different account number. I've observed that in the past when I've checked my credit history.

> While they may not be telling you everything, it looks like they are not lying outright.

No, but if there was a significant security breach, I'd expect them to offer some sort of restitution. At the least, I think they'd owe me for a credit report subscription service so that I can see if the information that they've lost has resulted in identity theft.

We had a replacement card sent to us this week (citi/advantage). They said they were replacing cards in waves if people had used their cards at TJX corp. stores---the place where hackers got into their system and stole info.

This all occured at the times when my wife was in Switzerland and I got an early warning, fraud call from them to verify recent charges, so at first I thought the new card and closed acct. was related, but it just so happens it was all planned.

> They said they were replacing cards in waves if people had used their cards at TJX corp. stores...

That's a possibility. I did shop at Marshalls last year.