Michaels Craft Store Latest To Be Hit With Massive Data Breach
SOUTHFIELD (WWJ) - It's the latest national retailer to deal with a massive data breach. Officials at Michaels, an arts and crafts store say some 2.6 million credit and debit cards used at its stores may have been affected.
They say information was stolen from their point-of-sale system.
Alonya Ruffin, who was picking up some items at the Michaels Southfield store, says stores need to do a better job at protecting customers information.
I'm skeptical about using my card at a lot of places, so I just go, get the cash and ... keep a budget. I think that's just the best way now," said Ruffin.
Erin Coleman told WWJ that she's making a conscience decision to
since the issue with the breach of security at Target stores she only pays with cash.
" ...I'll be more aware to carry cash or use cash in that store," she said.
Artist John Brown was at Michaels picking up painting supplies and was using a gift card to make purchases.
"I always use cash, I don't I've used a credit card but once," he said.
The Texas-based crafts chain, says that its subsidiary Aaron Brothers was also attacked.
The company is offering free credit monitoring service for a year to those customers affected by the breach.
On the corporate website Michaels notes that "after weeks of analysis, we have discovered evidence confirming that systems of Michaels stores in the United States and our subsidiary, Aaron Brothers, were attacked by criminals using highly sophisticated malware that had not been encountered previously by either of the security firms.
We want you to know we have identified and fully contained the incident, and we can assure you the malware no longer presents a threat to customers while shopping at Michaels or Aaron Brothers.