HOUSTON – New details suggest recent data breaches at Staples and Michael's could be linked.
Security reporter Brian Krebs broke the news. He believes the breaches were pulled off by the same hackers or the scammers were using the same tools.
Krebs wrote that criminals installed malware on the pay terminals at some Michael's and Staples stores across the county; he said the hackers used the same networks to control that malware remotely.
Banks have since been alerted that cards used at Staples may have been compromised. The company says that it is still investigating whether any customers' payment data was lost.
Meanwhile, Sears has launched a new service that is perfect for people who love to shop online, but are reluctant to buy.
The free service is called "Reserve It." It allows customers to browse through clothing online, put items on hold, and then buy them at a nearby store.
Customers will also receive a text message or email alerting them that their selected items chosen online are ready to be tried on in the store.
The items will be held for 48 hours after a customer selects them online.
In other consumer reports, an old scam is picking up steam again.
Con artists are calling people, claiming they owe money to the IRS. Then, they are threatening people with arrest unless they pay up.
If this happens to you, consumer experts suggest you hang up the phone and report the call to the treasury inspector general and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Your report could help investigators track the frauds who have stolen more than $5 million from people across the country.
