Recent breach could affect credit card customers across the Caribbean

CASTRIES, St Lucia, Thursday March 7, 2013 – The data breach  that first came to light after a recent nation-wide credit card recall across  banks in the Bahamas is having a regional impact.

According to an alert sent out to the regional media by the Caribbean  Association of Banks Inc (CABI), banks and other financial institutions across  the Caribbean have been impacted by the security breach at a financial  institution in the region.

Reports in the media have suggested that the breach took place at a data  centre in Barbados where sensitive information on the accounts of thousands of  card holders was stolen.

CABI said the breach could result in the compromise of a number of Visa and  MasterCard branded debit and credit cards.

It advised card holders that “out of an abundance of caution” banks and  credit union might be contacting customers to have their card  replaced.

In a bid to reassure thousands of customers across the Caribbean, CABI  stressed that these measures were precautionary as, up to the point of their  alert being issued, no fraud had been attributed to this case.

“Our member Banks and other Financial Institutions throughout the region take  client confidentiality and security very seriously and provide assurance that  customer interest remains soundly protected. Your understanding and patience are  greatly appreciated,” stated CABI in its media release.