National City debit-card accounts are penetrated
3/19/2010CHARLOTTE - PNC Financial Services Group Inc. said yesterday it is investigating a breach of accounts affecting former National City Bank customers and their debit card accounts.
The affected National City accounts are restricted to the Cincinnati area, and current PNC Bank customers are not affected, PNC Financial spokesman Fred Solomon said.
Bank officials were made aware of the data breach this week, but Mr. Solomon would not say how many customers' accounts have been compromised or how much money was stolen.
PNC Financial of Pittsburgh said some customer debit cards were compromised shortly before the company acquired National City Corp. of Cleveland in December, 2008. It includes 24 branches in the Toledo area, which are being converted to PNC Bank branches next month.
"We believe any fraudulent charges that have been made are already in the system," Mr. Solomon said, adding that all National City Bank cards remain active until customers activate their PNC Bank card.
All open accounts are "under an enhanced surveillance," he added, and the security measures "should prevent any further access to them by any unauthorized individuals."
PNC Financial said it will work with individual customers to address their concerns, and refund any money that is due to them.