Schaumburg Whole Foods Store Might Be Affected By Data Breach

CHICAGO, IL — Six Chicago Whole Foods Market locations might have been the victim of a security breach affecting stores with taprooms and full table-service restaurants. The upscale grocery chain has been investigating the breach after discovering unauthorized access to its payment card information through the point of sale system used at those locations, the business announced Tuesday. The primary store checkout systems — as well as payment cards processed that way — were not affected.

"When Whole Foods Market learned of this, the company launched an investigation, obtained the help of a leading cyber security forensics firm, contacted law enforcement, and is taking appropriate measures to address the issue," the chain said in a statement on its website, which also includes a searchable database of the possibly affected locations.

The security breach also did not involve any Amazon.com transactions, because those checkout systems are not connected to Whole Foods. The tech giant recently bought the grocery chain. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest Arlington Heights news. And iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app.)

The Schaumburg location, 750 N. Martingale Road, was potentially affected because it includes a Cook Shack and taproom at the store. Other possibly compromised locations include stores in Chicago, Evanston, Willowbrook, Wheaton and Elmhurst.

Whole Foods is encouraging customers to monitor their payment and bank statements and report any suspicious or unauthorized charges to their financial institution.

Go to Whole Foods Markets' website for a seachable database of possibly affected locations across the country.

Whole Foods Markets in Schaumburg might have been affected by a security breach recently. (Photo by Scott Olson | Getty Images)

Like What You're Reading? Stay Patched In!

• Like our Crime page on Facebook
• Check out the Events Calendar for what’s going on