Two Wichita Falls Locations Among IHG Hotels Affected by Malware Data Breach
Two Wichita Falls hotels, among over 160 Texas locations, were affected by a malware breach, potentially compromising customers' payment information.
Earlier this month, InterContinental Hotels Group announced that they were made aware by payment card companies of a pattern of fraudulent transactions being made on cards after they had been used at an IHG location. The company said they then hired a cyber security company to analyze the payment histories of their franchises and discovered malware in the systems used to process cards at the front-desk between September 29, 2016 and December 29, 2016. Some locations were not affected due to the implementation of a new encryption program, while others were upgraded during the time they were unknowingly being attacked by the malware, eliminating the threat of the malware.
Among the over 160 locations affected in Texas alone, two locations are in Wichita Falls: the Holiday Inn Express on Kell and the Candlewood Suites on Central Freeway. A complete list of affected locations and time-frames of impact can be found HERE.
In their official statement, IHG explained their efforts to rectify the situation and what affected customers can do,
It is always advisable to remain vigilant to the possibility of fraud by reviewing your payment card statements for any unauthorized activity. You should immediately report any unauthorized charges to your card issuer because payment card rules generally provide that cardholders are not responsible for unauthorized charges reported in a timely manner. The phone number to call is usually on the back of your payment card. Please see the section that follows this notice for additional steps you may take.
On behalf of franchisees, IHG has been working closely with the payment card networks as well as with the cyber security firm to confirm that the malware has been eradicated and evaluate ways for franchisees to enhance security measures. Law enforcement has also been notified.
We regret any inconvenience this may have caused. If you have questions, and reside in the United States, please call 855-330-6367 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday. If you reside outside the United States, please call 800-290-9989 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday.