It’s Not Just The VA
It's not just the Veterans Administration that is having problems hanging on to confidential data. If you were a customer of Hotels.com in 2002, 2003 or 2004, your personal information may be at risk.
SEATTLE - Thousands of Hotels.com customers may be at risk for credit card fraud after a laptop computer containing their personal information was stolen from an auditor, a company spokesman said Saturday.
The password-protected laptop belonging to an Ernst & Young auditor was taken in late February from a locked car, said Paul Kranhold, spokesman for Hotels.com, a subsidiary of Expedia.com based in Bellevue, Wash.
"As a result of our ongoing communication with law enforcement, we don't have any indication that any credit card numbers have been used for fraudulent activity," Kranhold said. "It appears the laptop was not the target of the break-in."
The laptop was stolen in February but the theft was not reported to Hotels.com until May 3rd. Ernst & Young has arranged free credit monitoring for people who may be at risk. I'd say that's the least they could do.
UPDATE: Thanks to the Big Dog for linking.
Geek Stuff | Gaius Monday, 5 June , 2006
