Ohio

Wendy's Investigating Possible Security Breach

Those who have recently eaten at Wendy's fast food restaurants may want to check their credit card statements for suspicious activity, as the chain is investing a possible security breach.

Wendy's — based in Dublin, Ohio — says it learned from payment industry contacts this month of reports indicating fraudulent charges may have occurred on cards used at some locations.

The company has since taken remedial action to investigate diners’ payments dating back to late last year.

"Reports indicate that fraudulent charges may have occurred elsewhere after the cards were legitimately used at some of our restaurants. We’ve hired a cybersecurity firm and launched a comprehensive and active investigation that’s underway to try to determine the facts," Wendy's spokesman Bob Bertini said in a statement to KrebsOnSecurity.com, which first reported the possible breach Wednesday.

While the scope of the fraud is still being determined as it is unclear how many of the 6,500 restaurants American restaurants have been affected, KrebsOnSecurity reported that financial institutions have raised concerns, namely in the Midwest and East Coast.  

"Until this investigation is completed, it is difficult to determine with certainty the nature or scope of any potential incident," the company said.

Wendy's said it is has launched an investigation with the help of cybersecurity experts and that it is cooperating with law enforcement officials. The company also advises customers to keep a close eye on their finances in the meantime.

"As always, in line with prudent personal financial management, we encourage our customers to be diligent in watching for unauthorized charges on their payment cards. Generally, individuals that report unauthorized charges in a timely manner, to the bank that issued their card, are not responsible for those charges," the company said.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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