Arts and crafts retail chain Michaels announced this week up to three million credit card numbers may have been hacked from its company computer system between May 8, 2013, and Jan. 27, 2014.
The good news for credit card users, the company said, is that hackers weren’t able to access other sensitive information such as PIN numbers, names and addresses, tech news website The Verge reported.
Michaels’ website lists what stores were affected and what times those stores’ systems were vulnerable.
Company executives said they’re giving customers affected by the attack a year’s worth of free identity protection and credit monitoring services. They’ll also provide fraud assistance for those who need it.
The company’s subsidiary, Aaron Brothers, also experienced a cyberattack between June 26, 2013, and Feb. 27, 2014, that affected up to 54 stores and 400,000 credit card users, The Verge reported.
This is the second time the company has faced a widespread cyberattack. In 2011, stores across the nation reported their payment systems had been breached — a criminal trick used to obtain private customer data that can then be used to fabricate counterfeit credit cards.
Target retailers faced a similar attack late last year, affecting up to 70 million customers.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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