By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – The America’s Thrift Stores company, which operates a location off Second Avenue North in Alabaster, is warning its customers of a recent credit and debit card security breach, the company announced on Oct. 9.

According to information distributed by the company, America’s Thrift Stores, which also operates stores throughout Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana, was “recently the victim of a data security breach that occurred through software used by a third-party service provider.”

“This breach allowed criminals from eastern Europe unauthorized access to some payment card numbers. This virus/malware is one of several infecting retailers across North America,” America’s Thrift Stores wrote in a statement. “The U.S. Secret Service tells us that only card numbers and expiration dates were stolen. They do not believe any customer names, phone numbers, addresses or email addresses were compromised.”

The breach may have affected credit and debit card transactions between Sept. 1 and Sept. 27, according to the company.
After learning about the breach, the company said it began working with an independent external forensic expert and the U.S. Secret Service to examine the breach and remove the malware causing the breach.
If customers view any fraudulent activity or suspicious charges on their credit or debit card, they are encouraged to contact their bank or card issuer immediately. The breach did not affect customers who purchased items with checks or cash.

Consumers who report fraudulent charges immediately typically are not held responsible for those charges.
“This was a very serious attack on our customers and our stores — and we apologize to our customers for any inconvenience,” America’s Thrift Stores CEO Ken Sobaski wrote in a statement. “Data breaches are becoming far too common these days. We urge all shoppers – whether at our stores or others – to check their credit and debit card statements every month for any fraudulent charges. Any suspicious activity should be reported to your bank and card issuers right away.”
The company shared the following tips from the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau:
If you believe you are a victim of identity theft, you should contact one of the consumer reporting agencies listed below to place a fraud alert on your credit report. You only need to contact one of the three credit reporting companies to place an alert.
• TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; Transunion.com; Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, Calif., 92834-6790
• Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; Equifax.com; P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, Ga., 30374-0241
• Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); Experian.com; P.O. Box 9554, Allen, Texas, 75013
• For more details on the steps to take if you are a victim of identity theft, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s Identity Theft website at Ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/.