Wendy's Credit Card Breach Hits Chicago Heights Location

By Kara Seymour (Patch Staff)

If you're a fan of your local Wendy's, you might want to check your credit card statements.

The credit card information of customers who patronized the Chicago Heights location, 634 W Lincoln Hwy, going back to fall of 2015 may be in jeopardy, the company announced Thursday.

The fast food chain says it has experienced a data breach at several locations nationwide after it was the target of malware. Information targeted by the malware included cardholder name, credit or debit card number, expiration date, cardholder verification value and service code.

The breach was first reported in February, but authorities with the company discovered last month that additional malware was found. The number of locations involved is now believed to be "considerably higher" than 300, the company said in a news release.

"We are committed to protecting our customers and keeping them informed. We sincerely apologize to anyone who has been inconvenienced as a result of these highly sophisticated, criminal cyberattacks involving some Wendy's restaurants," said Wendy's President and CEO Todd Penegor. "We have conducted a rigorous investigation to understand what has occurred and apply those learnings to further strengthen our data security measures."

The company worked with third-party forensic experts, federal law enforcement and payment card industry contacts as part of its investigation, which found that specific payment card information was targeted by the additional malware variant.

Impacted customers can receive a year of fraud consultation paid for by Wendy's as well as identity restoration services.

If you believe you are a victim of the data breach, click here to contact Wendy's to access information about the fraud consultation and identity restoration services being offered.