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Report: Honda Canada owner database hacked, 283,000 customers at risk

Filed under: Technology, Honda, Canada

Reuters is reporting that personal information from more than 283,000 Honda Canada customers has been stolen by cyber criminals. The data includes names, addresses, vehicle identification numbers and, most importantly, some financing account information.

Still, Honda maintains that the profiles don’t contain the goods necessary for identity theft. Crooks typically need bank account numbers, email addresses and birth dates to pull off a successful cyber heist. Honda Canada had collected the consumer information back in 2009 when it urged its customers to register for on MyAcura and MyHonda sites.

The automaker first became aware that something was awry when traffic to both sites shot through the roof. Shortly thereafter, an inordinate number of unauthorized attempts to access member accounts hit the radar as well. On May 13th, a letter was sent out to owners who potentially had their personal data compromised.

This isn’t the first time that Honda has been the victim of an online attack. Just last year, 2.2 million vehicle owners had their personal information stolen from the Japanese automaker’s databases.

Honda Canada owner database hacked, 283,000 customers at risk originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saturn Vue Chevrolet Captiva Sport announced for U.S. fleet customers

Filed under: Crossover, Chevrolet

2012 Chevrolet Captiva Sport

2012 Chevrolet Captiva Sport – Click above for high-res image

Do you miss the Saturn Vue? If so, General Motors is ready to wipe your tears away. Meet the new Chevrolet Captiva Sport, a shockingly familiar crossover being offered for fleet sales here in the United States. GM is quick to point out that the Sport is a variant of the popular Captiva CUV sold in other markets, though its Saturn-badged kin can still be found all over the nation.

The 2012 Chevrolet Captiva Sport will be available in three trim levels – LS, LT and LTZ – with two different powertrain choices. The base engine is GM’s Ecotec 2.4-liter direct-injected four-cylinder, while the uplevel powerplant is The General’s 3.0-liter direct-injected V6. Having experienced both of these units in the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain crossovers, we found the four to be far smoother and more refined than the anemic V6. In any case, both engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive is optional on LTZ models.

LT and LTZ models use the 3.0-liter V6 and come standard with OnStar and Bluetooth connectivity. LTZ standard equipment also includes leather-trimmed seats (heated for front passengers), a rear-view camera and premium audio system.

Fleet companies can take delivery of the ~~Vue~~ Captiva Sport as early as the fourth quarter of 2011. For the full details, follow the jump for GM’s press release.

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading ~~Saturn Vue~~ Chevrolet Captiva Sport announced for U.S. fleet customers

~~Saturn Vue~~ Chevrolet Captiva Sport announced for U.S. fleet customers originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Mar 2011 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Honda owners’ accounts hacked, millions of customers at risk

Filed under: Government/Legal, Honda

Honda logo

The Internet has indeed revolutionized the way people do business, but this doesn’t come without some faults. Hackers pose a threat to not only individual people’s computers, but to the databases of large corporations, and a recent attack on American Honda now means that 2.2 million owners have had their personal information stolen.

Thankfully, Honda has reassured its customers that no financial information was stolen during the major hack, but names, e-mail addresses and VINs are among the data that was compromised. In addition to the 2.2 million Honda owners affected by this information, 2.7 million Acura owners were also subject to this hack, though Honda reports that only e-mail addresses were stolen from owners of the automaker’s luxury brand.

American Honda has contacted these customers, apologizing for the situation at hand and reminding them that false e-mails could come through to their accounts asking for private information. Honda has also set up a FAQ page where owners can easily see what’s at stake with this issue.

[Sources: Honda, Inside Line | Image: Drew Phillips/Autoblog/AOL]

Report: Honda owners’ accounts hacked, millions of customers at risk originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevy Volt’s first customers will be 15-person Customer Advisory Board

Filed under: Car Buying, Hybrid, Sedan, Chevrolet, Electric

2011 Chevrolet Volt

2011 Chevrolet Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery

Lyle Dennis. Bill Nye. Jim Woolsey. Brian Wynne. What do these people have in common, besides being featured at one time or another on AutoblogGreen? They are all members of the new Chevrolet Volt Customer Advisory Board that General Motors announced today (disclosure: AutoblogGreen columnist Chelsea Sexton is also on the panel).

So, what will the 15 people who make up the board actually do? Basically, they’re getting a Volt before you do and will tell GM what’s working and what isn’t. More specifically, they will be the first people who get to, “experience the Volt every day under real-world conditions during a three-month vehicle and charging evaluation program starting in late October.”

The 15 (see all the names after the jump, and note the number of electric vehicle enthusiasts included) volunteered for the position and Chevy picked people who knew the most about electric vehicles and also happen to live in one of the initial markets where the Volt will be available. Besides getting a three-month test vehicle, board members will get a free 240-volt charging station, “for the duration of the vehicle evaluation program.” Sexton is excited about the group, and said in a statement that:

It’s great to see Chevrolet tap into both experienced and new electric vehicle enthusiasts for real-world feedback. This is a great opportunity to not only provide meaningful input to the Volt team, but also to raise awareness using a real, available electric vehicle instead of a PowerPoint slide.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Volt

[Source: GM]

Continue reading Chevy Volt’s first customers will be 15-person Customer Advisory Board

Chevy Volt’s first customers will be 15-person Customer Advisory Board originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The woman who tracks down real customers for car commercials [w/ video]

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Ford, Toyota

Danya Solomon

Danya Solomon helps manufacturers find customer testimonials – Click above to watch video after the jump

The testimonial is one of advertising’s oldest weapons. It’s a simple formula: If someone spent his or her hard-earned money on a product and lived to tell about it, chances are it will be good enough for you. But where do advertising companies come up with the jokers that we see splashed all over our television screens? It turns out that they look to one individual with a knack for finding people who are especially loyal to a specific brand or product. Her name is Danya Solomon.

Solomon is responsible for rounding up the everyday Joes and Janes we’ve seen on ads from Ford and Toyota lately. She spends her days scouring the internet, standing in parking lots and busting down pool-hall doors to find consumers who are passionate about the products they buy. The next time you see an average atomic family stand up and profess their love for a sedan, chances are Solomon had something to do with bringing them to the small screen. Hit the jump to see a few of the commercials she helped cast.

[Source: AOL Autos]

Continue reading The woman who tracks down real customers for car commercials [w/ video]

The woman who tracks down real customers for car commercials [w/ video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 18 Sep 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford offers $50 gift cards to customers facing late Fiesta deliveries

Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Sedan, Hatchback, Ford

2011 Ford Fiesta – Click above for high-res image gallery

Due to circumstances reportedly beyond Ford’s control, many customers are having to wait a bit longer to receive their new 2011 Fiesta sedans and hatchbacks. After Hurricane Alex and Tropical Storm Bonnie rolled through Northern Mexico earlier this summer, railroads were damaged that provide shipments to the factory where Ford builds the Fiesta.

Customers may have to wait up to two weeks longer than expected to receive the hot new subcompact, and as a token of appreciation for being patient, Ford will be giving these customers a $50 MasterCard gift card. That’s a free tank of gas and a smattering of delicious coffee drinks… or a fancy dinner for two!

In speaking with Automotive News, Ford sales analyst George Pipas says that Ford has “about 6,500 to 7,000 [Fiestas] in transit to dealers” and that the cars should start to be fully stocked within the next couple of months. For now, customers will have to wait patiently and take solace in the extra $50 in their pockets when it finally comes time to take delivery.

Gallery: Review: 2011 Ford Fiesta SES

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

Ford offers $50 gift cards to customers facing late Fiesta deliveries originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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