Barnes & Noble (BKS) PIN pad tampering was 'sophisticated' crime

NEW YORK (AP) — Barnes & Noble Inc. says the tampering of devices used by customers to swipe credit and debit cards in 63 of its stores was a "sophisticated criminal effort" to steal information, and reiterated it has notified federal law enforcement authorities.

The nation's largest bookseller disclosed the data breach in stores from California to Florida late Tuesday, and warned customers to check for unauthorized transactions and to change their personal identification numbers, or PINs.

B&N says only one device, known as PIN pads, was tampered with in each store. All the PIN pads in its nearly 700 stores nationwide were disconnected on Sept. 14, after the company learned of the tampering.

B&N says the criminals planted bugs in the tampered devices, allowing for the capture of credit card and PIN numbers.