Holiday Inn Data Breach: Tampa Bay Area Properties Affected

CLEARWATER, FL — InterContinental Hotels Group, the company that owns such brands as Holiday Inn, Candlewood Suites and Crowne Plaza, has announced a major data breach potentially affecting more than 1,000 of its locations. The breach that may have compromised customer credit card information reportedly occurred between Sept. 29 and Dec. 29, 2016. A number of hotels in the Tampa Bay area may have been compromised, according to the company.

The conglomerate discovered malware on its credit card processing systems that tracked data from customer transactions, including guests' names, credit card numbers, expiration dates and internal verification code. Customers who believe they may have been affected should check their credit card statements for unusual activity or fraudulent purchases.

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The following properties in the Tampa Bay area may be impacted by the breach, according to IHG:

Pinellas County

• Holiday Inn, 3535 Ulmerton Road, Clearwater
• Holiday Inn, 401 Second St. E., Indian Rocks Beach

Hillsborough County

• Holiday Inn, 11310 N. 30th St., Tampa
• Holiday Inn Express, 13294 Telecom Drive, Tampa
• Holiday Inn Express, 2807 E. Busch Blvd., Tampa
• Holiday Inn Express, 8610 Elm Fair Blvd., Tampa
• Staybridge Suites, 3624 N. Falkenburg Road
• Holiday Inn Express, 2102 Park Road, Plant City

Pasco County

• Holiday Inn Express, 10619 U.S. 19, Port Richey

Sarasota County

• Holiday Inn, 233 Ben Franklin Drive, Sarasota

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 of 2017, the group found no evidence that any breaches occurred after Dec. 29. The group's hotels had begun moving to use Secure Payment Solutions, a program that encrypts customer credit card information, before the incident began.

IHG customers who stayed at hotels outside the Tampa Bay area, can search properties affected by the breach on the company’s website. Customers may also call 855-330-6367 for more information between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.

IGH has notified law enforcement and says it has been working with payment card networks and a cyber security firm “to confirm that the malware has been eradicated and (to) evaluate ways for franchisees to enhance security measures,” according to a company media release.

For more information about the breach, visit IHG online.

Patch’s Cody Fenwick contributed to this story.

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