From: "Neaco" 
Newsgroups: uk.finance
Subject: Abbey cards in net security scare 
Date: Tue, 30 Nov 2004 22:38:28 GMT

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4056069.stm

Abbey has cancelled 1,000 cards after receiving a warning that account 
details may have been "compromised".
The bank told BBC News it took the action after a security alert at an 
online merchant.

The security breach took place between 20 and 22 October and affected other 
card providers, Abbey said.

Abbey began writing to customers last Friday inviting them to contact its 
fraud centre. It said it took action after receiving an alert from Visa.

Rob, an Abbey customer, contacted BBC News after receiving a letter from 
Abbey.

"I didn't believe the letter. I thought it was a scam."

"Personally I think it's shocking that it has taken a month to find out," he 
added.

Abbey said it was up to each individual bank to alert their customers, but 
that it had taken the decision to contact customers and cancel their cards 
as soon as it received the alert.

The bank was recently criticised for not alerting customers to a potential 
security breach at its online bank Cahoot.