Online Security, a global provider of computer forensics and information technology risk mitigation since 1997   Original Source:    http://www.timesleader.com/mld/inquirer/business/personal_finance/8315762.htm BJ's beefs up computer and credit-card security BJ's Wholesale Club has tightened computer security after finding that its customers' credit-card information might have been stolen, forcing banks and financial institutions to replace thousands of credit and debit cards. BJ's released a statement March 12 saying "a small fraction" of its eight million members might have had their credit-card information stolen. BJ's Pennsylvania stores include those in Philadelphia, Downingtown, Langhorne, Springfield in Delaware County, and Plymouth Meeting; its New Jersey stores include those in Deptford and Maple Shade. In central Pennsylvania, financial institutions have reported at least two dozen cases of fraudulent purchases related to the identity theft. As a precaution, credit and debit cards are being reissued to thousands of customers. Pennsylvania State Employees Credit Union, the largest credit union in the state and the 21st-largest in the nation, has started reissuing 15,000 Visa cards to anyone who used cards to make purchases at BJ's in the last two years, said Greg Smith, credit union president. "Our only defense is to reissue the card and kill the number," said Smith, adding that the credit union expected to spend more than $100,000 to replace the cards and cover fraudulent purchases. At least six credit-union customers reported unauthorized purchases made with their cards, Smith said. The club has 150 stores nationwide. BJ's, in a statement, said it took immediate steps to address the theft, including conducting a review of its technology systems with a computer security firm. After the review, BJ's ruled out the likelihood of a hacker attack on its central computer system, and put into place measures on the store level to close off potential ways to steal credit-card information, the company said.