Ann Arbor police say hackers broke into the computer system of a popular Irish restaurant, stealing numerous credit card and debit card numbers to make purchases.
The case came to light after the credit and debit cards were fraudulently used in the state of Texas between April 22 and June 10, police said.
Local banks traced the fraud back to Conor O?Neills Restaurant at 318 S. Main St. in Ann Arbor, and management there contacted police.
?The banks were receiving information about these fraudulent transactions and did a little digging and discovered the common point of purchase between the cases was Conor O?Neills,? Ann Arbor Police Det. Sgt. Pat Hughes said.
According to police, the restaurants? credit card processing computer was vulnerable to computer hackers, possibly from Europe, allowing them to infiltrate the system and gain access to all of the credit/debit card numbers that had been used at the business.
Police say it?s not yet known how many customers? credit and debit cards were accessed. Because the charges have taken place in other states, Ann Arbor police don?t know the total number of fraudulent credit card purchases involved, Hughes said.
Hughes said police have tracked some of the fraud to Europe and Texas and are working with authorities in other jurisdictions on the case. But, he said, these types of cases are typically complex and difficult to solve.
According to police, Conor O?Neill?s has taken the necessary measures to protect and ensure the security of its customers? credit and debit card account numbers from any future hacking attempts.
Among the numbers stolen were credit and debit cards issued by the Bank of Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan Credit Union, police said.
Ann Arbor police say the investigation is continuing.
Hughes said people should be vigilant in checking their monthly credit card statements for suspicious charges. If they discover any charges they didn?t make, they should contact the bank or credit card company, he said.
