Credit Cards Protected at Area Store

The company that processes electronic payments for local grocery stores involved in a cyber attack says customers can now safely use their credit and debit cards to buy groceries.

URM Stores says the attack targeting credit and debit card users at Yokes Fresh Markets in the Tri-Cities, Rosauers in Yakima and Super 1 Foods in Walla Walla has been blocked KNDO reports. URM says technicians placed the credit card systems back online Monday night after implementing extra security systems.

The company says the extra security will not protect customers who used their cards at the stores before November 25th. Investigators say anyone who used a credit or debit card at URM-affiliated stores prior to that date should pay close attention to bank statements.

As families across the Northwest shopped for their Thanksgiving dinners, the secret service began investigating the widespread case of credit card fraud. Agents say computer hackers were able to break into the URM network, but URM does not know if or how many people may have had their personal information breached.

Until the fix was in place, customers had to pay by cash or check. Yokes and Rosaurs stores would not accept debit or credit cards unless customers wanted to wait in the long lines to pay on a secure dial up debit and credit card machine.

The cyber attack also involved Super 1 Foods, Family Foods, CenterPlace Market and Trading Company stores in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.