Police: Hancock shoppers are card theft victims

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Thursday, October 15, 2009

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By ALISHA WYMAN
Register Staff Writer

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10:40 a.m.Police have found that credit card machines at Hancock Fabrics are the common thread among dozens of local victims of credit card and debit card fraud in recent days.

Hancock Fabrics, on Imola Avenue, has replaced its machines, and the investigation into the thefts continue.

Meanwhile, 10 to 15 more reports from victims came into the Napa Police Department this morning, in addition to the 30 it had previously taken, said Lt. Brian McGovern.

Victims noticed purchases or ATM withdrawals from various locations across the Bay Area in the past several days. The thefts are not linked to any particular bank, McGovern said.

The police department has also received information from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department of tampering at least five card swipe machines at other Hancock Fabric locations, McGovern said.

McGovern advised residents who has been to Hancock within the past several months to review their accounts carefully.

Residents who find suspicious activity on their accounts can make reports on the Napa Police Department’s Web site. Click on the “Online Crime Report” heading on the left-hand side of the home page, then the “Napa Police Online crime Reports system” link in the center of the page, and finally, scroll down and click “theft.”

If you have made a purchase at Hancock and haven’t seen any theft, the safest route is to notify your bank, close the account, open a new one and change your personal identification number, McGovern said.

22 comment(s)

SuzieSwirled wrote on Oct 15, 2009 10:54 AM:

" Thanks for posting this NVR.

Hancock Fabrics is a great store, but it only takes one bad employee and inadequate supervision/security for something like this to happen.

IF they are indeed responsible, let's hope they do the right thing in compensating those with losses of time and money... "

uncleoperative wrote on Oct 15, 2009 11:00 AM:

" "Common thread"? Great pun!! "

justnana wrote on Oct 15, 2009 11:18 AM:

" Thank you so much for letting us know. I have shopped at Hancock, and will again...just GLAD that I haven't recently.
Many of the suggestions given on the other thread with the first article will probably now become more common place. Back to cash only! "

napkinrick wrote on Oct 15, 2009 11:23 AM:

" We're all on "pins & needles" to find out who did this! "

Maya wrote on Oct 15, 2009 11:26 AM:

" The numerous account number thefts I suffered this year are why I use cash only. I recommend it to everybody because there are too many risks with using credit and debit cards at merchants: the employees, the machines, the hackers in the credit card servers, etc. Cash has also allowed me to budget more effectively since I can see it more tangibly than numbers on paper. "

stealth Ninja wrote on Oct 15, 2009 11:29 AM:

" Theft victims should check with their homeoweners carriers. They may have coverage and the insurance company will pay to help them along with this lengthy process "

itswhatsfordinner wrote on Oct 15, 2009 11:42 AM:

" You cant tell me the "skimmer" was put in place without an employee knowing about it. Unfortunately I have been to Hancocks within the last week and used my debit card...just changed my info after reading this....thanks NVR "

amazed wrote on Oct 15, 2009 12:20 PM:

" Napkinrick, you've got me in "stitches"! "

Paddy wrote on Oct 15, 2009 12:46 PM:

" Someone has really pulled the wool over Hancock shoppers. It's time to button up security procedures. "

Here's the details wrote on Oct 15, 2009 2:04 PM:

" Easy to make jokes if you weren't one of the people hurt in this process. Anyway it could possibly happen without employees knowing about it if the credit swiping machine company came out and "serviced" the machines. So let's be nice to the Hancock Fabric employees; most of them are probably victims too! "

NAPANATIVE wrote on Oct 15, 2009 2:06 PM:

" Everyone just needs to put a ZIPPER on it!!!!! LOL "

amazed wrote on Oct 15, 2009 2:20 PM:

" I think I see a pattern of behavior here ... "

common sense wrote on Oct 15, 2009 2:37 PM:

" I hope the mystery is unraveled soon... "

C-Groom wrote on Oct 15, 2009 3:27 PM:

" You cancel your card and get a new one. Sew what? "

strongodares wrote on Oct 15, 2009 4:23 PM:

" You know, every time I've been into Hancock in Napa, they don't make you show ID for credit cards (they don't run cards as debit.) I brought it up once, comparing it to the Vallejo store (where you DO have to show ID), and the teller said it's because Vallejo is "rougher". Very interesting now, after making a point NOT to look at IDs, that there's credit card theft related to this location. "

Malo wrote on Oct 15, 2009 6:27 PM:

" Great, I'll just 'Bolt' on out and take care of my card! "

data_watcher wrote on Oct 15, 2009 9:49 PM:

" This happened in Wisconsin this weekend, too. Check out this story. There is a remarkable similarity between what happened in Wisconsin and here in Napa.

http://www.wisconsinrapidstribune.com/article/20091015/WRT0101/910150702/1806/WRT01 "

scully wrote on Oct 15, 2009 10:19 PM:

" We don't cotton to crime around here. Let's hope this gets sewed up soon.

Seriously, it's interesting that it's happening Wisconsin too. Sounds like odds are good there may be more areas in the country where this has occurred. "

happyday wrote on Oct 16, 2009 2:30 AM:

" Thank you, NVR, for this article. I shop there all the time, and will go back through my statements more carefully to see if I've been targeted.
This is such an evil thing for one human being to do to another. Such a disappointment. "

walktothepark wrote on Oct 16, 2009 6:32 AM:

" I don't agree with the US Bank representative. Guarding your PIN in this case wouldn't have done any good because the software stored the data. Paying with cash is the safest route to take to avoid these situations. "

Cadence wrote on Oct 16, 2009 7:21 AM:

" strongodares, wouldn't have mattered if Hancock checked your ID. It was you and your card and the charge would have gone through and your info would have been stolen, then used elsewhere in the Bay Area, as described.
The thieves' goal was to steal your card number and pin. Your ID would have made no difference.
I think it's refreshing to not be treated as a would be criminal when I make a small purchase from clerks who have seen me repeatedly over the years.
If you're really into it, shop at Copperfield's. They would not let me use my card for an $8 purchase because I had no ID. Silly me, I'd stuffed the card in my pocket and walked my dog to the store but had neglected to bring my ID. I didn't feel a lot safer, but there it is. (Sadly, I ended up ordering the book on Amazon after adding more stuff to get $25 free shipping!) "

vago69 wrote on Oct 16, 2009 1:44 PM:

" "Additionally, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department informed Napa police of at least five card swipe machines tampered with at other Hancock Fabric locations, McGovern said."

Makes me wonder if the guilty parties aren't somehow involved with the company that processes the card transactions. It would be interesting to see if there is a common thread there. All it takes is one disgruntled employee to make things go sideways. "

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