Massive Credit Card Data Breach At Holiday Inn Parent Firm Affects San Antonio Hotels

SAN ANTONIO, TX — A caution for travelers: Check your bank statements.

Officials at hotel industry giant InterContinental Hotel Group say malware was used at numerous franchise locations to illegally obtain credit card information. The hacking performed between Sept. 29 and Dec. 29 may have extrapolated customer names, credit card numbers, expiration dates and verification codes, company officials said.
Customers who suspect their credit card information may have been compromised should check their credit card statements for unusual activity or fraudulent purchases. IHG hired a cybersecurity firm to investigate the incident.
While malware was not removed from the hotels' systems until the investigation in February and March, the company found no evidence any other breaches occurred. The group's hotels have since implemented Secure Payment Solutions, a program that encrypts customer credit card information before the incident began.
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IHG officials also have posted an easily searchable list of compromised hotels and the time frames during which the information was vulnerable. Several of the affected hotels are located in San Antonio. Among those are:

• Hotel Indigo, San Antonio Downtown - Alamo, 105 N. Alamo
• Crowne Plaza, San Antonio Airport, 1111 Northeast Loop 410
• Holiday Inn, San Antonio N - Stone Oak Area, 19280 Redland Road
• Holiday Inn, San Antonio Northwest, 5535 University Heights Blvd.
• Holiday Inn Express, San Antonio Medical Ctr North, 11010 Interstate Highway 10 West
• Holiday Inn Express, San Antonio NW near SeaWorld, 9536 Amelia Pass
• Holiday Inn Express, San Antonio SE by AT&T Center, 2027 SE Loop 410
• Holiday Inn Express, San Antonio South, 11400 Se Loop 410
• Holiday Inn Express, San Antonio-Dtwn Market Area, 102 El Paso Street
• Candlewood Suites, San Antonio Airport, 418 Portland Road
• Candlewood Suites, San Antonio Downtown, 1024 S. Laredo Street

IHG also has set up a hotline for guests with questions. The hotline number is (800) 290-9989, and is operational weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The company also suggests contacting credit bureaus to place a security freeze on cards that may have been compromised by the breach.

Photo credit: Gryffindor