McDonald’s databases hacked, customer data stolen
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McDonald’s databases were recently hacked into and personal customer information was stolen, the fast-food giant said in a statement.
‘Recently McDonald’s was informed by one of its partners that limited customer information collected in connection with our promotions or websites was improperly accessed by a third party,’ McDonald’s said. ‘Limited customer information such as name, address, phone number, birth date and gender was included in the information that was accessed.’
The data that the hackers were able to get was compiled from consumers who signed up to receive e-mails from McDonald’s on the websites mcdonalds.com, mcdonalds.ca, mcdonaldsmom.com, mcdlive.com, meencanta.com, monopoly.com, playatmcd.com and 365Black.com, the statement said.
The data did not include credit card information or other financial or personal info, the company said.
McDonald’s didn’t offer a date as to when the cyber attack took place and officials for the chain were unavailable Monday afternoon.
The company said in its statement that a business partner, Arc Worldwide, was developing a list of its customers’ e-mail addresses to send them promotional e-mails.
Arc, whose officials were also unreachable Monday afternoon, hired an e-mail service provider to supervise and manage the e-mail database, McDonald’s said.
‘That e-mail service provider has advised that its computer systems recently were accessed by an unauthorized third party, and that information, including information that customers provided to McDonald’s, was accessed by that unauthorized third party,’ the burger chain said. ‘Law enforcement officials have been notified and are investigating this incident.’
In its statement, McDonald’s sent out a warning to its customers as well.
‘In the event that you are contacted by someone claiming to be from McDonald’s asking for personal or financial information, do not respond and instead immediately contact us ... so we can contact the authorities,’ the company said.
McDonald’s is asking customers who think their information may have been stolen in the Web attack to report any suspicious contact to a toll-free number: (800) 244-6227.
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-- Nathan Olivarez-Giles
Image (top): A screen shot of 365black.com, a McDonald’s website that compiled some customer information that was recently hacked and stolen. Photo (bottom): A McDonald’s in Fullerton, Calif. Credit: Christine Cotter / Los Angeles Times