You also have to watch out for those machines being used at gas pumps. 3 years ago I was training at a major bank and this particular type of scam was mention. You use your debit card at the pump and someone comes behind you with the machine and get your info. Unfortunately, I have heard of this in Wal-Marts and other stores as well. People, also will use their cell phone to record you putting in your pin on top of getting your other info or when you are carelessly pulling out your debit or credit card out of your wallet or holding it in your hand while punching in your pin no. It is all sad and scary!
Michaels sent a bulk email to everyone on their list notifying customers that debit/atm/credit card info at Chicago area stores was stolen. They were sending the notice out to everyone "in case" the issue was greater than the Chicago area. I just deleted the email because I'm in California, but when the news hit Yahoo!, it said it was in like 16 states, so I checked the Michael's website and it was all over. Not in California, but I did see other states like Colorado, New Hampshire (if I remember correctly). So check your bank statements even if you're not in Chicago!
Michaels DID NOT send a bulk email to everyone. The Michaels that I shop at in a Chicago suburb is one that had an issue. It's not just with the PIN number either. It happened whether you selected Debit or Credit.
My bank must have gone through their accounts and if you shopped at Michaels, they replaced your card automatically. Literally two business days after the story broke I had a letter and a new card stating that my account may have been compromised but just to be safe, they were reissuing a new card. 
I got an e-mail from Michael's a while back too but they only mentioned problems in the Chicago area stores, not GA, where I live. Thank you for posting the link.
They ran several stories about security protection in the local news, check these videos:
http://www.11alive.com/CIA/191356/320/Electronic-Pickpockets
http://www.11alive.com/CIA/191463/320/Digital-Dumpster-Diving
http://www.11alive.com/CIA/191601/320/Recycling-old-computers-risky-business
My husband and I use cash, too.
Besides if I used a debit card in Michaels he'd know how much and how often I go there and WE can not have that,now can we.
mommachris
I agree with mommachris! This is why I have my own accounts 
Wow, my Michaels was not on the list (and no money taken) but one a few miles further away that I've shopped rarely was on the list. Yikes.
So far we've only had a card stolen one time, and we were alerted almost immediately by the credit company...think it was from a restaurant because it seemed local...purchases were being made in NYC and we are in Philly, so I dunno...
Kinda scary.
It doesnt seem to amaze me anymore, we have come along way from the good ole days...where doors could stay unlocked and you would trust your neighbors to go into your house if you werent home, etc...
One would think with all this modern techonology that our lives would have gotten better instead of worse. People have no respect or heart for anyone, not even themselves to go out and be thieves, or hurt others. Im scared that this is all my children see in life, not like in the past when I was growning up.
I live on 4 acres, my daughter and I are alone most nights as DH works odd shifts, and I now keep a gun, and have security lights all over the property, afraid to even step outside and sit in the yard.
It happened to me! I even received the email from Michaels and didn't think about it. I went to use my debit card and it was not working. I went to the bank and they told me it was a "warm" card. Someone had tried to use the card in California and they stopped the card. That was good - but they never told me!
I now have a new debit card.
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