Hyatt Joins Hilton and Trump with Breach Announcement

It's the holidays, as we all are constantly reminded these days and many people take vacations, swiping credit cards left and right without too much thought. Many credit cards are swiped at hotels and hackers have interpreted those providing credit card numbers to 318 Hyatt hotels as their holiday gift. The company said that malware was found on then payment processing system for the hotels the company directly manages. The franchise hotels were not affected.

Situations like this remind us to always be aware of what charges are going on our credit and debit cards. A lot goes on them during high spending seasons and it's easy, particularly when traveling to forget to check them often. However, it is probably even more important to take frequent looks during these times. 

Mobile apps help us keep close tabs on charges, so take advantage of them. It is usually pretty easy to find WiFi when traveling, just use caution when connecting. Don't use open access points (those that don't require any password) and if possible, make your smartphone a hotspot and connect that way. Keep in mind that hotel, cafe connections, and any public WiFi is not secure even if does have a password. Often, cyber criminals lurk in these locations intercepting communications and stealing confidential information, such as online banking credentials. 

If you have to use one of these connections, consider changing your passwords throughout your trip to keep your accounts safer. 

To be even more secure, connect your smartphone to a VPN first, then log in to your financial organization's website. There are many VPN apps available and many are free, so choose the one that works best for you. Remember to check reviews and do as much research as you can to feel comfortable with it before downloading it. Also, make sure you get apps from the official app stores for your devices rather than sideloading them from other locations.   

If you stayed at a Hyatt within the past year, be sure to check your statements and charges more carefully over the next year and report suspicious activity to your card issuer right away for quick resolution.  

Hyatt global president of operations, Chuck Floyd said the issue was resolved and an investigation is underway to find out more. At this time, the company does not know of any customer information being accessed. A webpage has been set up for customers to check for updates. 

Hyatt now joins Hilton, The Trump Collection, and Starwood as another hotel property facing payment system security issues this year.  Hopefully, with the holiday travel season ending soon, it will be the last.