Michaels confirms security breach
Tim Boyle/Getty Images


If you're a glue-gun-wielding crafts fan, Michaels Stores Inc. says it is really, really sorry that your debit or credit card may have been affected by a security breach.
The nation's largest arts-and-crafts chain announced details of the security breach on Thursday, more than three months after the company first disclosed the possible data breach, the Associated Press reports.
"Our customers are always number one priority and we are truly sorry for an inconvenience or concern Michaels may have caused," CEO Chuck Rubin said in a statement.
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Michaels' report estimates about 2.6 million debit and credit cards used at its stores between May 8, 2013 and January 27 of this year were compromised. While the data breach apparently did not include personal information such as names, addresses or PIN numbers, compromised data did include payment card numbers and expiration dates. Subsidiary chain Aaron Brothers was also attacked, with about 400,000 customers' cards potentially compromised.
The company is offering free identity protection, credit monitoring and fraud assistance services to affected customers for 12 months, the AP noted.
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Sarah Eberspacher is an associate editor at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked as a sports reporter at The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus and The Arizona Republic. She graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
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