Data of 650,000 customers of JCPenney, other retailers, at risk after backup goes missing
The personally identifiable information of about 650,000 customers of JCPenney and other retailers is at risk after a data tape went missing from storage vendor Iron Mountain.
The Social Security numbers of 150,000 people were on the backup tape, which vanished last October, according to representatives from GE Money, which handles retail credit card operations.
The backup tape was being stored at an Iron Mountain warehouse when it went missing. The tape was not checked out of the facility, a GE Money spokesman said.
A statement released today by JCPenney said only that GE Money had made the retailer aware of the breach and is notifying customers. The statement referred inquiries to GE Money's public relations department.
