Last month, the Pentagon Federal Credit Union (PenFed) discovered that a laptop infected with malware was used to access a database that contained customers’ personal and financial information, including Social Security numbers and credit card numbers. PenFed says it has identified the source and taken steps to prevent future occurrences. If you were one of the debit or credit customers affected by the data breach, then you received a new card.
SecurityNewsDaily reports that Roderick Mitchell, PenFed’s executive vice president of operations, mailed a letter to customers and wrote, “We have no indication that your information has been misused.” Mitchell also stressed that no PINs or passwords were accessed in the incident. But if you’re a PenFed customer – even if you didn’t receive a new debit or credit card – it’s a good idea to watch your accounts to make sure your data is safe. The PenFed Premium Travel Rewards American Express Card was recently included in our roundup of airline and travel rewards cards.
According to a report by the Department of Defense, identity theft targeting government employees and classified networks may be on the rise. And since identity theft, in general, is on the rise, this breach is a timely reminder for all of us to monitor our financial accounts daily.
Beverly Blair Harzog A consumer advocate, Beverly focuses on credit card issues and provides insight about current news that affects the credit card industry and consumers. She's a nationally recognized expert on credit card issues and is also the co-author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Person-to-Person Lending. Visit Beverly at BeverlyHarzog.com.
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