Slovak News Back to the news
SBA: Tens of Slovaks Endangered By Debit Card Data Loss
Friday 20 November 2009 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, November 20 (TASR) - Slovak banks have blocked some 1,000 bank cards because the data-processing centre in Spain suffered a loss of data that might have compromised their security, Slovak Bank Association (SBA) Executive Director Ladislav Uncovsky told TASR on Friday.
"The number of clients actually harmed is considerably smaller –probably in double digits. I want to assure the clients that the banks will fully cover all expenses involved," Uncovsky said.
He added that higher risks mostly applies to clients who used their card in January-September 2009 in Spain. "The cards of these clients are being continually monitored. The banks stand ready to block them without charge and replace with new ones if need be," according to Uncovsky.
SBA cannot as yet quantify the exact losses that clients might have suffered due to the data loss.
Some Slovak banks have blocked the debit cards to prevent fraudulent transactions. "We registered fraud attempts involving five cards," Vseobecna Uverova Banka (VUB) spokesperson Alena Walterova told TASR. She added that the bank verified the suspicious transactions with the clients and, as none was validated, the clients will have the payments fully reimbursed.
VUB has identified 195 at risk debit cards. Their owners were notified and they agreed with the bank to have the cards blocked and replaced.
Problems regarding data loss from more than 200 debit cards has been registered by Volksbank Slovensko as well. "We have pre-emptively replaced the majority of high-risk cards," Volksbank Slovensko spokesperson Jana Lukacova told TASR. She added that the bank continually monitors the remainder of cards.
"Owners of the debit cards issued by Slovenska Sporitelna are not affected by the data loss," confirmed Slovenska Sporitelna spokesman Stefan Frimmer for TASR.
According to Tatra banka spokesman Boris Gandel, Tatra banka has not detected any major threat either.
All the banks are paying particular attention to the situation and will execute standard security measures if needed.
Only debit cards Visa and Mastercard used during recent months in Spain have been affected by the data loss so far. A month ago, Visa cautioned the banks that incongruities in terms of data processing at the Spanish processing centre exist. Visa declined to comment further on the situation, as the investigation is still ongoing.
All rights reserved. Any publishing or further dissemination of press releases and photographs from TASR's resources without TASR's prior written approval constitutes a violation of the Copyrights Act.
