Certified Tattoo Studios Steps Up After Stripe Data Breach, Refunds Every Affected Customer
IFD Media (I’m From Denver Media) sat down with Certified Tattoo Studios owner Nando Mondragon to set the record straight after reports of unauthorized charges linked to a Stripe payment processing issue.
When the data breach hit, hundreds of customers saw unexpected charges from the Denver-based tattoo studio. Mondragon says it was a complete shock, but his priority from the first moment was to make it right. Within minutes of learning about the issue, Certified Tattoo refunded every affected customer—over 1,400 people—out of their own account, even before Stripe confirmed the problem.
“I didn’t have any clue what happened, but I know what the right thing was to do,” Mondragon said. “Our company was built on integrity, and that’s what we acted on.”
While the volume of calls was overwhelming, Mondragon says his team stayed focused on repairing trust. “I love Denver, I love the people, and I am here for my community,” he said. “The people who come here know we set a higher standard for the tattoo industry. We want to be the most trusted place in the city to get a tattoo.”
A Denver native, Mondragon has been part of the local business community for nearly 20 years, following in his father’s footsteps. He hopes the studio’s swift action shows customers they can count on Certified Tattoo Studios, even in the toughest situations.
“To everyone affected, we’re truly sorry,” he added. “We hope the frustration fades soon, and that you know we worked to get 100% of your money back as quickly as possible.”
