Mastercard investigates possible breach of account data

MasterCard Inc., the second-biggest payments network, said it’s investigating a potential breach of account data and that card issuers and law enforcement have been notified.

Data may have been targeted at a “U.S.-based entity,” and MasterCard’s own systems “have not been compromised in any manner,” the Purchase, New York-based company said today in an e-mailed statement. It didn’t specify how many accounts may have been affected.

“The incident is currently the subject of an ongoing forensic review by an independent data-security organization,” it said. “MasterCard is concerned whenever there is any possibility that cardholders could be inconvenienced and we continue to both monitor this event and take steps to safeguard account information.”