HACKERS BREAK IN CITIGROUP INC. ~ Finance Update

HONG KONG (AP) — Hackers stole account details of much more than 360,000 of Citigroup Inc.’s U.S. credit card customers in a current data breach, the bank mentioned Wednesday, virtually double the number at first believed.

…..item 1)…..Yahoo! News beta….Citigroup says 360,000 affected by hackers

By KELVIN CHAN – AP Organization Writer | AP – 1 hr 45 mins ago……Thursday June 16, 2011

beta.news.yahoo.com/citigroup-says-360-000-impacted-hacke…

HONG KONG (AP) — Hackers stole account info of more than 360,000 of Citigroup Inc.’s U.S. credit card buyers in a current data breach, the bank mentioned Wednesday, virtually double the range at first believed.

Citi stated final week that about 1 % of its credit card buyers had account data hacked online but did not say exactly how many. The actual quantity of customers impacted was believed to be about 200,000, based on Citi’s 2010 annual report, which mentioned the company had roughly 21 million North American credit card consumers.

But the true quantity was in fact 360,083, the bank said in a statement posted on its web site late Wednesday.

The bank stated it found on Might ten that hackers utilised its Account Online method to access the information for North America Citi-branded credit cards issued in the U.S.

The bank said final week that hackers accessed client names, account numbers and speak to information, such as e-mail addresses.

But they weren’t capable to get their hands on social security numbers, dates of birth, card expiration dates or card security codes, details that can be useful in identity theft.

Internal fraud alerts and enhanced monitoring were positioned on all accounts deemed at threat as soon as the breach was found, Citi mentioned.

Letters have been sent commencing June three to men and women impacted, and 217,657 customers have also been sent new cards, Citi stated. Replacement cards had been not sent to the other individuals because the accounts were closed or they had currently been sent new cards for other good reasons.

Citi mentioned it has notified police and government officials.

&quotFor the security of our buyers, and due to the fact of the ongoing law enforcement investigation, we can not disclose further details relating to how the data breach occurred,&quot it said.

Citi reassured consumers that they weren’t liable for any unauthorized use of their cards and urged them to evaluation account statements to report any suspicious transactions.

It’s the most current in a series of substantial-profile data attacks against big organizations and institutions. The International Monetary Fund stated Sunday that it was investigating an attack on its laptop or computer technique.
Google Inc. said earlier this month that Gmail accounts of numerous hundred individuals had been breached. In April, Sony Corp.’s Playstation Network was the victim of a enormous safety breach that impacted more than 100 million on the web accounts.