Whole Foods Customers Exposed In Data Breach In Silver Spring

SILVER SPRING, MD — Whole Foods Market announced that there has been a breach of credit card information at some venues inside its stores, including taprooms and full table-service restaurants. The store at 833 Wayne Ave. in downtown Silver Spring was listed in the breach, according to a statement from Whole Foods.

The company said the breach did not affect cards used at the primary store checkout systems, as venues like taprooms and restaurants use a different point-of-sale system. In Silver Spring, cards that have been used at Gengi Asian Venue and Paper Horse may have been compromised, according to the company.

"These venues use a different point of sale system than the company’s primary store checkout systems, and payment cards used at the primary store checkout systems were not affected," a statement from the company said. "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."

Whole Foods said its investigation is ongoing and more details will be provided as it learns more. The company also said that most Whole Foods Market stores do not have taprooms or restaurants but encouraged customers to closely monitor their payment card statements and report any unauthorized charges to their bank.

The Silver Spring store was the only Whole Foods in Maryland that was affected by the breach, the company says.

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