Hackers escape with Vera Bradley customer data after POS hack

US luggage and handbag design company Vera Bradley has been breached, the company announced yesterday. The company started an internal investigation after learning of a potential breach from the FBI on September 15.

According to the investigation, a program that stripped credit cards of the data on the magnetic stripe was installed on their point-of-sale systems. Criminals used this program to steal the card number, cardholder name, expiration date and internal verification code from some credit cards used in 122 stores and 44 outlets between July 25 and Sept. 23 2016. The retailer assures buyers that not all payment cards used in stores were compromised, while those used on their online platforms were not at risk. However the actual number of stolen records hasn”t been revealed.

The company has joined forces with payment card networks to ensure banks monitor the compromised cards. Customers who shopped at physical stores in the compromised timeframe are advised to review all transactions for unauthorized payments and immediately report any suspicious activity.

Vera Bradley is not the only retailer to fall victim to a POS hack, as only recently clothing chain Eddie Bauer was hit by malware, popular fast-food restaurant Wendy”s was attacked in February and the payment systems in several hotel chains were compromised.