How to find out if your credit card information was compromised in the Chipotle hack
Along with your burrito bowl last month, it’s possible that your credit card information was compromised in the recent Chipotle hack. The fast food chain released a statement on Tuesday saying that they have very good reason to believe that their systems were broken into. They’re currently working with law enforcement and cyber security firms to figure out exactly what information was stolen, but they’re looking specifically at any credit card transactions between March 24, 2017 through April 18, 2017.
So think really hard and try to remember if you got extra guac in the past few weeks.
They’re still investigating, so they don’t have specific information just yet, though they did set up a website where consumers can check for updates as the company has them. Luckily, they do think that they’ve taken measures to *stop* the hack and protect customers’ information going forward, so you should feel safe using your card at the chain as they figure things out. Chipotle wrote that customers who think they used their card at one of their locations during that time period be extra vigilant about monitoring activity on their cards and to report any weird charges immediately to their bank (just like you likely do anyway).
Chipotle has not had an easy time the past few years, though their sales are finally rebounding after having to close around 50 locations for a deep, FDA-conducted cleaning after an e. coli outbreak. Luckily no one died, but there were clusters of hospitalizations for norovirus on the west coast in 2015 and then a later salmonella outbreak from some bad tomatoes. It’s pretty bad that just when they regained customers’ trust, now their point of sales systems might have been compromised.
Though these kinds of hacks happen all the time, so you shouldn’t blame your Chipotle. Where there are credit card systems, there are hacks, so don’t freak out. But do get some salsa and chips and check your account to make sure your cash is safe.
