Electronics retailer Best Buy Co. has deactivated cash registers linked to a wireless LAN after a customer reportedly was able to receive credit-card numbers while testing wireless LAN equipment outside a store. Some retailers use wireless registers to send point-of-sale data to inventory and pricing systems. If that information is not encrypted, it can be intercepted and misused. Postings on an Internet security newsgroup claim that at least one person has been able to do that at Best Buy and Wal-Mart stores.

Minneapolis-based Best Buy issued a statement saying that use of wireless registers was "temporary" and that they processed a small percentage of transactions. "Customer privacy is of the utmost importance to Best Buy and we will further investigate," according to the statement. Best Buy did not return calls for comment. A Wal-Mart Stores Inc. spokesman would not comment on security issues or transmission of data.

PetSmart Inc. tested wireless registers in a handful of stores recently, but is no longer operating them. A spokeswoman for the Phoenix chain said she didn't know how long the registers were used or when they were pulled but said no customers had complained about misplaced credit-account information.