Thousands of customers at a West Vancouver shopping centre may have had their bank card information stolen, after thieves modified several debit terminals.
Police said Thursday that four stores in Park Royal South Mall were affected, but were quick to add that no employees were implicated in the scam.
The affected stores were:
- Purdy's Chocolates
- SportChek
- Athletes World
- Whole Food
Thieves swapped debit machine PIN pads with units able to record customers' debit card information. They would then use the data to create fake debit cards, essentially giving them free access to bank accounts.
Police are urging customers to change their PIN codes, and said far more Canadians could be affected by the scam.
"This is not just a West Vancouver phenomenon," Cpl. Fred Harding told CTV British Columbia. "This is in Western Canada, Calgary, Quebec, Montreal -- everyone with a debit card is at risk of having their accounts compromised."
At least one unaffected business at the mall took the step of changing every single debit card terminal, in case any others were altered.
The Crime Prevention Association said merchants have to take more responsibility for protecting customer information.
"They have a legal obligation under B.C.'s privacy legislation to make secure arrangements to protect customer information, and that extends to PIN pad terminals," said spokesperson Jeff Burton.
In June, Vancouver police cracked a fraud ring using similar devices to scan bank cards. Each machine was able to record up to 2,200 PIN numbers.
Police recommend customers protect their information by frequently changing PIN codes, keeping receipts, and monitoring all bank accounts for suspicious changes.
With a report from CTV British Columbia
