Credit cards replaced by banks after data breach

02.22.09
By Nicholas Storie

Citigroup is reportedly one of a number of financial institutions that are sending replacement credit cards to customers in response to last year's data breach of Heartland Payment Systems.

According to the Press Association, Citigroup has been sending new credit cards to accountholders, along with a security notice explaining the replacement.

It states that customers' account numbers "may have been illegally obtained as a result of a merchant database compromise and could be at risk for unauthorized use," the news provider reports.

Hundreds of other financial institutions across the country have also sent their customers replacement debit or credit cards in the period since the data breach was first exposed.

Last month, Heartland Payment Systems, one of the largest payment processors in the U.S., said hackers had stolen numbers and expiration dates from an undisclosed number of cards in late 2008.

Although no incidents of fraud have been specifically linked to the breach, Heartland recommends people monitor their bank accounts carefully for unknown transactions.

Other experts recommend obtaining regular copies of your credit report or signing up for credit monitoring to keep an eye on how your financial information is being used.

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Many banks are mailing new cards to customers