Heartland Data Breach: Visa Sets Deadline for Issuers to File Fraud Claims

Heartland Data Breach: Visa Sets Deadline for Issuers to File Fraud Claims

Heartland, RBS WorldPay Removed from Visa's Compliant Service Providers List

March 16, 2009 - Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor

Heartland Payment Systems (HPY) has been removed from Visa's list of compliant service providers, and banking institutions affected by the Heartland data breach have until May 19 to file their fraud claims with Visa.

This news emerged late last week from a public statement by Visa, as well as from a letter sent by the credit card company to card-issuing banking institutions.

In the statement, Visa confirmed that both Heartland and RBS WorldPay as a result of their recent data breaches, have been removed from the company's Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) Compliant Service Providers list. This list represents the service providers that Visa has validated as being PCI DSS compliant for merchants and other businesses to run their credit card transactions.

Heartland and RBS WorldPay are now considered to be "on probation," and can apply to be relisted once they revalidate PCI DSS compliance and meet other security stipulations.

...Visa says:

• Heartland is now "in a probationary period" and subject to several risk conditions, including "more stringent security assessments, monitoring and reporting."

• Heartland's sponsoring banks will be assessed undisclosed fines as a result of the data breach.

• Card issuers can recover an unspecified portion of losses connected to the Heartland breach, but they face a May 19 deadline to file their claims with Visa.

So far, neither MasterCard nor any other credit card company has issued similar statements about Heartland's status or how/if institutions can recover money losses from the breach. (Full story at www.bankinfosecurity.com)

If you were a victim, you had better circle May 19th on your calendar in red.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

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