This Sounds Familiar: Albertsons, Jewel-Osco, ACME, Shaw’s Hit By Second Credit Card Data Breach

(Ryan Keene)

When someone wrote me to say there was a data breach at the company behind several major supermarket chains — including Albertsons, Jewel-Osco, ACME, Star Markets, and Shaw’s — I thought, “That happened about six weeks ago, didn’t it?” Alas, the company has announced it is the victim of a new, separate attack.

AB Acquisition LLC is the name of the company, which probably doesn’t mean anything to you, but its various supermarket brands are well known around the country.

It announced late on Monday afternoon that its IT services provider SUPERVALU had notified it of a more recent “attempted criminal intrusion” from hackers trying to obtain credit/debit card information from these stores.

According to AB Acquisition, this is a different strain of malware than the one that compromised the stores’ payment systems from late June through mid-July of this year. So this is like getting over the norovirus only to find out you’ve got enterovirus.

No specific dates were given for this latest lapse in security, though AB puts the timeframe of “late August or early September” on it. Authority and credit card networks have been notified and an investigation is ongoing.

So what was stolen?

Again, no one knows for sure, but AB says hackers may have been able to steal card numbers, expiration dates, other numerical information and the cardholders’ names.

“At this time there has not been a determination that any payment card data was in fact stolen as a result of either incident,” reads a statement from AB Acquisitions. “Measures have been taken to prevent further use of this new and different malware in the affected store locations. We are also implementing additional measures to enhance the protection of customer payment card data.”

Fool us once, shame on someone. Fool us twice, we shop elsewhere.

Which stores were hit?

Albertsons: Stores in Southern California, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming and Southern Utah were impacted.

AB Acquisitions says that Albertsons in the following states were NOT hit: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, New Mexico, Texas; and two Super Saver Foods Stores in Northern Utah.

ACME: Stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey were affected.

Jewel-Osco: Stores in Iowa, Illinois and Indiana were compromised.

Shaw’s and Star Markets: Stores in Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Rhode Island were affected by this new incident.

“We take our responsibility to protect our customers’ payment card data seriously,” said AB Acquisition CEO Bob Miller, who is probably not planning any big purchases in his future. “We sincerely regret that our customers’ data was targeted.”

I’m sure your customers really thank you for your regret.

The company has posted an FAQ on each of its various stores’ websites.

Mysterious Salmonella Outbreak Had Innocent Victims: Tomatoes

(PepOmint)

We like to share news of product, food, and vehicle recalls, because keeping our readers free from fire, illness, and injury is very important to us. However, every recall and warning of potentially contaminated food has hidden victims. Sometimes those victims are vegetables left to rot in the fields, and the farmers who were supposed to sell them.

Back in 2008, there was an outbreak of salmonellosis across the country. More than a 1,200 people were proven to be infected with this particular strain of Salmonella. That means that many more may have also been infected but showed no symptoms, or they weren’t sick enough to visit a doctor or a hospital to have samples taken. At least 286 people were hospitalized with this strain, and two people may have died from it.

At the time, the outbreak was confusing for investigators and frightening to the public because authorities couldn’t figure out which food was the culprit. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eventually concluded that the outbreak may have been caused by jalapeño and serrano peppers grown in Mexico, but the first suspects were tomatoes.

The federal Food and Drug Administration put out a warning to Americans in certain states to avoid eating some kinds of tomatoes raw. Not surprisingly, tomato sales nationwide fell. Farmers whose tomatoes were set to ripen just as that warning was issued suddenly had nowhere to sell them. Bloomberg Businessweek interviewed one farmer who let 80% of his crop rot, and was part of a lawsuit against the federal government that a judge recently dismissed. Yes, this outbreak happened six years ago, and the dismissal came just a few weeks ago.

“I couldn’t even give [the tomatoes] away,” the farmer in Florida told Businessweek. Meanwhile, inspectors from the FDA visited his farm and took samples, but found no signs of contamination. Eventually, the FDA lifted the tomato warning, but that came well after many farmers’ entire crop rotted on the vine.

The culprit was peppers from Mexico. Maybe. They think. All the authorities know is that people stopped coming down with salmonellosis from this strain, and they declared the outbreak to be over.

It’s not over for the tomato farmers, though: they plan to appeal their lawsuit.

Rotten Tomatoes: Farmers Pay the Price for a False Food-Safety Warning [Bloomberg Businessweek]

Multistate Outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul Infections Linked to Raw Produce (Final Update) [CDC]

Tourists Rent Car, Get Free Snake In The Trunk

“Free ball python with every car rental” might appeal to some customers as a promotion, but it would be an expensive one, and most customers probably wouldn’t be interested. Two tourists found a free surprise python in the trunk of the car they had rented at Logan airport in Boston and drove to their motel in Maine. The good news? The snake was alive and unharmed, and its owner has already been found.

Still, the women were clearly alarmed to find a snake in the car’s trunk, and they had motel staff call 911. (They didn’t talk to reporters about the incident.) Local police used a pillowcase to remove the snake from the car, and brought it to a nearby pet store equipped to care for a snake of that size.

It turns out that the snake had been hanging out in the vehicle for a few weeks: it escaped from its tank during a previous rental. “We spent about three hours trying to find it and never found it,” the owner told TV station WBZ.

Going on vacation in Maine, hanging out at the Burger King drive-thru: escaped snakes are leading very exciting lives this year. The boa constrictor in the United Kingdom that lurked in the trunk of a used car to surprise the new owner last month didn’t seem to have any fun plans, though.

Women Find Python In Trunk Of Car Rented From Logan Airport [WBZ]

GM: This Is Awkward, But Those Corvette Valet Cams Might Be Illegal

(YouTube)

Having an extra pair of eyes and ears to keep watch over your expensive ride might sound like a wonderful idea, but GM is now warning owners of its new Corvette that those valet nanny cams might be illegal, depending on where you live.

“Valet Mode” allowed owners of the 2015 Corvette to monitor their cars via a camera, which includes cabin audio, as well as turn off the entertainment system and lock storage compartments.

But if you live in one of 11 states where you can only record someone if both parties consent — meaning anyone in the car besides the owner — turning that feature on means breaking the law.

GM sent drivers and dealers a letter telling them to turn off the feature or to ask permission from anyone else in the car before using it, reports CNNMoney.

“U.S. customers have been sent a letter advising that they should not use the ‘Valet Mode,’ or that if they do they should obtain consent from the vehicle’s occupants before they record them in the vehicle,” GM said.

The company said Chevrolet would soon “be making a software update available to remedy this issue.”

As for how that’s done, it’s unclear — maybe disabling it depending on your car’s location or simply not recording people who haven’t given permission?

A CorvetteForum.com poster says the below letter is from GM, and was sent to dealers:

Attention:

General Manager, Service Advisor, Service Manager, Parts and

Service Director, Parts Manager, New Vehicle Sales Manager,

and Warranty Administrator

This notice is being sent to you regarding 2015 model year Corvettes equipped with the Performance Data Recorder (UQT).

The Performance Data Recorder (UQT) in these vehicles, when used in Valet Mode, allows a customer to record the driving of their Corvette when the vehicle is not in their control. In Valet Mode, the PDR will also record activity and conversations that take place in the vehicle.

To help our customers use the Performance Data Recorder (UQT) consistent with legal requirements that pertain to audio recording devices, we will be requiring a very important update to the system of each affected vehicle in the near future. We expect that the update will be available early next month. At that time, we will provide details about the update and let you know what steps you need to take, if any, to complete the update for vehicles in your inventory.

In the meantime, you must advise any customers who take delivery of an impacted vehicle that they should refrain from using the Valet Mode until the update takes place. If they do use the Valet Mode, they should (i) notify any occupants of the vehicle that they will be recorded while in the vehicle, and (ii) obtain their consent to this recording. It is very important that you explain this to each customer at the time of delivery.

Attached is a copy of a written communication for you to provide to customers to accomplish this notice. We are sending the same communication to customers who have already taken delivery of a Corvette vehicle equipped with PDR.

We greatly appreciate your cooperation in conveying this important information to your customers.

GM fixing problems with Corvette’s ‘nanny cam’ [CNNMoney]

And The Survey Says: ATM, Checking Account Overdraft Fees Aren’t Getting Any Cheaper

(Todd Kravos)

While the amount of money banks make in revenue from customer-account fees may be on the decline, a new survey shows that consumers’ overdrafts and out-of-network fees are at an all-time high.

The Associated Press reports that a new Bankrate.com checking survey found the average fee for using out-of-network ATMs climbed 5% in the last year to a high of $4.35 per transaction, while average overdraft fees now sit at more than $32.

The average cost of ATM fees increased for the eighth consecutive year.

Generally, using an out-of-network ATM results in consumers being charged two fees: one from the customer’s bank and one from the owner of the ATM.

According to Bankrate.com, the average fee banks charge their own customers for going to an outside ATM rose to a new high of $1.58, while the average surcharge that banks charge non-customers at the ATM climbed to $2.77.

In all the average fee for using out-of-network ATMs increased by 23% in the past five years; marking 2014 the eighth year in a row with a new high.

Consumers paid an average of $32.74 in fees for non-sufficient funds this year.

As for overdrafts, Bankrate.com found fees increasing by 1.7% to an average of $32.74. The rate marks the 16th consecutive record high.

The increased fees are just one way the banking world has responded to tougher federal banking laws that included limits on when overdraft fees on ATM and debit transactions can be charged.

Bankrate surveyed 10 of the largest banks in 25 large U.S. markets to determine fee increases.

Phoenix recorded the highest average ATM fee, charging $4.96 on average per transaction. On the flip side, Cincinnati had the lowest average fee at $3.75.

Philadelphia had the highest average overdraft fee of $35.80, while San Francisco had the lowest fee with $26.74.

In addition to having a difficult time avoiding rising fees for overdrafts and out-of-network ATM visits, consumers have fewer options when it comes to no-strings checking accounts.

Only 38% of banks in the Bankrate.com survey offer free checking. However, many of those banks often waive monthly fees if account holders have their paychecks deposited directly into the account.

Additionally, Bankrate found that the average monthly service fee for a non-interest checking account feel 5% to $5.26 over the last 12 months.

To avoid costly fees, Bankrate suggests consumers use their bank’s websites to find fee-free ATMs or get cash back while using a debit card at the register.

Survey: ATM, Checking Account Overdraft Fees Surge [The Associated Press]

Ignore The TV Commercials: Don’t Sell Your Old Phone On eBay

(Erik Gunther)

eBay is currently engaging in an ad campaign, timed to coincide with the release of the iPhone 6 and 6 plus, meant to coax people who don’t currently use eBay to use the service to find new homes for their phones. Yet people who are frequent eBay users think that this is a terrible idea, and not just because they’re sellers who fear the competition.

Here’s one of the spots, urging aspiring phone-sellers to “delete that middleman” and sell directly.

It’s a pretty nice deal, where eBay promises a $100 coupon to people who list their phone in an auction, but it doesn’t sell. The problem is that selling in an auction format can be confusing for first-time sellers, and selling big-ticket electronics on eBay can also lead to trouble if you don’t know what you’re doing.

The editor and readers of industry site eCommerceBytes don’t think so. Selling electronics on eBay and on Amazon can be tricky, requiring experience and a keen eye to protect yourself from fraud. For example, they point to one customer profiled by First Coast News who sold a broken, non-working phone on eBay, and the buyer turned around and complained that the phone…didn’t come with access to the original owner’s iCloud account, which wasn’t a condition of the sale.

The problem is that buyer-friendly policies meant that the customer received a full refund after complaining that they didn’t receive what was promised in the sale. This left the seller without the phone and without her money.

One of our own readers also shared a tale of iPhone sales woe two years ago. In that case, the seller took precautions, mailed the phone with delivery confirmation, and it disappeared while in the metaphorical hands of the U.S. Postal Service. Unfortunately, proof that he had mailed the package wasn’t sufficient for eBay, and they issued a refund to the buyer.

Can you get more cash by selling your phone on eBay? Sure, sometimes. The difference is that selling directly to a third party who lives far away introduces the potential for fraud, and even the most experienced eBay sellers end up without their money and without their phone.

Consumer Gets Burned Selling Used iPhone on eBay [eCommerceBytes]

EEOC Lawsuit Accuses Papa John’s Pizza Of Firing Worker With Down Syndrome

(Aaron TD)

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says it’s filed a lawsuit against Papa John’s Pizza, accusing the company of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act after firing a worker in Utah with Down syndrome.

The EEOC says it’s seeking back pay and damages for the former employee, as well as an injunction “prohibiting future discrimination and any other curative relief to prevent Papa John’s from engaging in any discriminatory practices.”

Officials with the federal agency say the man had been good at his job and was doing well with an independently employed job coach to help him.

According to the lawsuit, when an operating partner dropped by the store and saw the man working with his coach, he allegedly told the Papa John’s to fire him.

Under federal law, businesses must accommodate workers with job coaches where the situation calls for one.

“People with intellectual disabilities are one of the most underemployed segments of the workforce,” said EEOC Regional Attorney Mary Jo O’Neill. “Many disabled persons are qualified, ready and willing to work. All they need is an equal opportunity. Job coaches are one form of reasonable accommodation that allows employees with intellectual disabilities to be able to work.”

Papa John’s hasn’t commented on the lawsuit yet.

Papa John’s Discriminated Against Employee with Down Syndrome, EEOC Charges in Suit [EEOC.gov]