DUBLIN, Ohio—POS system malware at some of Wendy’s restaurant locations may be the root cause of the fraudulent credit and debit charges reported by the fast food giant’s customers.
Wendy’s last month began an investigation after being alerted by the payments industry to possible fraudulent charges being made elsewhere after payment cards were legitimately used at some restaurants.
Wendy's reported it has now found malware on the systems at some of its restaurants that have been under investigation. Company updates noted that determining the nature and scope of the potential incident would be difficult until the investigation is completed.
Reports indicate the breach has already led to lawsuits, as an Orlando man became the first to file a class-action lawsuit against the chain after he claimed his card information was stolen at a Wendy's location, then used to purchase more than $577 in merchandise.
The lawsuit is reportedly among the first targeting a retailer after the October 2015 deadline for adoption of new chip card technology.