If all locations Chick-fil-A violated?
Although the exact figures will not be known until the investigation is completed, it seems that only a small number of the restaurant chain establishments were affected. Chick-fil-A has more than 1,800 restaurants across the United States, but according to Krebs, the majority of the violation appears to be contained in Georgia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Texas and Viginia. Once the investigation is completed, the company will probably update its website with a complete list of all the stores concerned so customers can determine if they have been compromised or not. Meanwhile, Chick-fil-A has set up a page on its website with updated information and a FAQ regarding the investigation.
measures to protect against data breaches
It is generally impossible to know right away if you have been victim of a violation as Chick-fil-A. Sometimes financial institutions that conduct customer cards were stolen will send new cards to be on the safe side. But this is not always the case, so it is important to remain vigilant at all times. How can you stay safe?
1. Monitor your bank and credit card. This is the # 1 rule of the payment card protection violation. If you have a debit or credit card and use it, then you should be closely followed your statements every month. It can be easy to let this slip and just look at the statements after a violation was reported, but often violations are reported after the fact - which can wreak havoc on your bank account or credit. People who pay close attention to their statements are likely to catch fraudulent charges much earlier than their financial institution could. After all, if you know you will spend $ 100 at an electronics store last Tuesday, you can call your bank or credit card company immediately to report the load as fraudulent and to stop the criminal in their tracks.
2. Use credit flow. Another great way to protect you proactively deal with breaches of payment card is to use your credit card every time you can. There are more reasons than protection against fraud for this, but the fact remains that having your credit card stolen will likely carry less of a financial hit your debit card. Think about it: your debit card is directly linked to your bank account, so a thief with access to the card number could drain your bank account and accumulate hundreds or thousands in fees you might wind up liable. In the interim while you wait for your bank to investigate, you might be left without money to live. On the other hand, you are protected by federal law against fraudulent credit card charges.
3. Sign up for identity theft protection. Keep a step ahead of identity thieves with this service, which can include instant alerts of suspicious activity on your credit accounts / debit, social security number, name, address and more. Many of the best services monitor your information on the Internet black market to ensure that it is not traded, sold or used maliciously, and some even offer scores and credit reports updated so that you know what happening with your credit. Plans for most of these services cost less than $ 20 / month, which is worth to have protection against identity theft on your side.
Visit our deep identity theft exam page for more information on these services and determine what the best option for you.