Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Identifies and Stops Payment Card Incident

HERSHEY, Pa., July 10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 30, 2015, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts (HE&R) Company was alerted to a potential issue after its anti-virus program identified and removed a suspicious file from certain devices in its payment card system.  HE&R immediately started an internal investigation, and then it began to receive calls on June 9, 2015 from guests who reported seeing unauthorized charges on their payment card after they had used that card at HE&R properties.  At that point, HE&R engaged a computer security firm to examine its payment card system for signs of an issue. 

Based on the investigation, HE&R believes that an unauthorized person was able to install a program on devices in its payment card system that was designed to make a copy of payment card data as it was being routed through its system to its payment processor.  The program searched for data found in the magnetic stripe on payment cards, which includes the cardholder name, card number, expiration date, and a verification code.  Based on the ongoing investigation, it is possible that any card that was used in person at an HE&R property from February 14, 2015 to June 2, 2015 could have been copied, but HE&R believes that a significant percentage of cards used after May 9, 2015 were likely not affected.  HE&R had security measures in place that were designed to prevent an unauthorized person from retrieving the file that contained the copied payment card data, however, HE&R has not been able to conclusively determine that these measures were not bypassed.  To help prevent this from happening again, HE&R has been working with the computer security firm to review its security measures, ensure that this issue has been fully remediated, and look for ways to enhance its security measures.  Customers can feel confident in continuing to use their payment cards at HE&R properties.

Although HE&R did not find evidence to confirm that any payment card data was removed from its system, it wanted to let its customer know about its findings so they can take appropriate steps to protect their card account.  If you used your payment card at an HE&R property between February 14, 2015 and June 2, 2015 you should remain vigilant by reviewing your account statements for unauthorized activity.  You should immediately report any unauthorized charges to your financial institution because the major credit card companies have rules that restrict them from requiring you to pay for fraudulent charges that are reported in a timely manner.  

HE&R regrets any inconvenience or concern this may have caused.  To assist customers who may have been affected by this incident, HE&R is offering a free, one-year membership of Experian's® ProtectMyID® Alert, which includes free integration with the BillGuard app that provides card monitoring alerts and resolution services.  If you have questions or to obtain ProtectMyID Alert enrollment information if you used your card at an HE&R property during the time of the incident, please call (877) 940-7204, Monday – Friday from 9 am – 6 pm EST. Additional information can be found at www.HersheyPA.com/update.

About Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company
Hershey Entertainment & Resorts (HE&R) is a privately held entertainment and hospitality company located in central Pennsylvania.  HE&R owns or operates the Hersheypark Entertainment Complex, Hersheypark Arena & Stadium, ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park, Hershey Bears AHL Hockey Club, Giant Center, The Hotel Hershey, The Spa At The Hotel Hershey, Hershey Lodge, Hersheypark Camping Resort and Hershey Country Club.  For more information about Hershey Entertainment & Resorts, visit www.HersheyPA.com. (Words in boldface are used under license.)

The Hershey Company (the confectionery maker), which includes Hershey's Chocolate World facilities, is a separate company and is not the subject of this press release.

SOURCE Hershey Entertainment & Resorts