American Express warned customers that their card information was "leaked" during a hacker attack that recently affected an unnamed payment processor.
The incident became known from documents that the company filed with the relevant authorities in the state of Massachusetts, which publishes such information as part of the rules on disclosure of information related to privacy violations.
American Express warned users that their data may have been stolen:
"We became aware that a third-party provider, whose services are used by many companies, encountered unauthorized access to their systems. The account number of your current or previously issued American Express card, your name, and other card information (such as its expiration date) may have been compromised. It is important to emphasize that systems owned or controlled by American Express were not compromised as a result of this incident, and we are sending you this notice as a precautionary measure."
It is not yet clear how many people were affected by this attack, when it happened, and exactly which trading processor was hacked. Representatives of American Express told the media that they do not disclose information about their business relationships and trading partners, and can not provide any additional information about the incident.
But the company separately noted that if the victims cards are used to make fraudulent payments, customers will not be held responsible for this activity. American Express advised customers to regularly review their bank statements over the next 12-24 months and monitor for any suspicious activity.
The incident became known from documents that the company filed with the relevant authorities in the state of Massachusetts, which publishes such information as part of the rules on disclosure of information related to privacy violations.
American Express warned users that their data may have been stolen:
"We became aware that a third-party provider, whose services are used by many companies, encountered unauthorized access to their systems. The account number of your current or previously issued American Express card, your name, and other card information (such as its expiration date) may have been compromised. It is important to emphasize that systems owned or controlled by American Express were not compromised as a result of this incident, and we are sending you this notice as a precautionary measure."
It is not yet clear how many people were affected by this attack, when it happened, and exactly which trading processor was hacked. Representatives of American Express told the media that they do not disclose information about their business relationships and trading partners, and can not provide any additional information about the incident.
But the company separately noted that if the victims cards are used to make fraudulent payments, customers will not be held responsible for this activity. American Express advised customers to regularly review their bank statements over the next 12-24 months and monitor for any suspicious activity.
