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Credit-card holders issued new plastic after security leak

Financial institutions have begun distributing replacement credit cards to customers whose cards were canceled due to a security breach two months ago.

In September, three employees of the Financial Information Service Co (FISC, 財金資訊公司), a credit-card-information management company overseen by the Ministry of Finance, leaked confidential information to criminal groups involved in making fake cards, according to Chinese-language media reports

More than 1 million card numbers were leaked, resulting in at least NT$3 billion in unauthorized charges, according to the reports.

The FISC handles processing for 23 credit-card-issuing banks.

Officials from E.Sun Bank (玉山銀行) and United World Chinese Commercial Bank (世華銀行) refused to comment on the scandal.

"Since the security breach took place, we began to gradually distribute new cards to users whose information was leaked," said a section chief surnamed Ho at First Commercial Bank. (第一銀行).

She added that the company will notify customers before canceling their cards and cardholders can expect to receive new cards in three to five days.

The move to issue new cards is aimed at eliminating unauthorized card use and protecting consumers.

Banks must pay NT$50 for each new card, according to the FCB official.

With media reports estimating the number of cards in need of replacement at up to 80,000, the cost of replacement is no small charge.

"We are victims too," the FCB official said.

Meanwhile, one government official tried to downplay the impact of the fraud for fear of rattling consumers.

"The [counterfeit card] situation is under control and consumers' rights have been protected," said Chen Shu (陳樞), a section chief at the Bureau of Monetary Affairs.

He stressed that cardholders will not be asked to pay for any erroneous charges on their bills.
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