Sonic offers fraud protection service

Sonic Corp. is offering customers two years of free identity theft protection after a data breach may have compromised customer credit and debit card numbers at some of its drive-in restaurants, the company said Wednesday.

Customers who used a card at a Sonic location any time this year can receive 24 months of free fraud detection and identity theft protection though Experian’s IdentityWorks program.

“Sonic Drive-In has discovered that credit and debit card numbers may have been acquired without authorization as part of a malware attack experienced at certain Sonic Drive-In locations,” the Oklahoma City-based company said in a statement Wednesday. “Your trust in Sonic is important to us, and we sincerely regret any inconvenience this may cause.”

The announcement comes a week after the company confirmed “unusual activity” with its credit cards at some of its restaurants.

“Upon learning of this matter, we immediately contacted law enforcement and have been working with them in their investigation,” the company said Wednesday. “We also immediately began our own investigation with the help of experienced third-party forensics firms. Notice of this incident was briefly delayed accommodating law enforcement’s investigation. We regret that this incident occurred, and apologize for any inconvenience or concern it

may cause.”

Sonic has not disclosed how many customers or locations may have been compromised.

“Our investigation into the nature and extent of the incident is ongoing,” Sonic spokeswoman Christi Woodworth said in an emailed statement.

Sonic has more than 3,500 locations in 44 states.

The data breach was first reported by security news website Krebs on Security, which said cards used recently at Sonic locations may be among a batch of more than 5 million credit and debt card accounts listed for sale on a credit card theft website earlier this month.

Woodworth said she cannot yet estimate what it will cost the company to provide fraud and identity theft detection to its customers.

Customers have until Dec. 31 to register and enroll at www.experianidworks.com/sonic or by calling 877-534-7032.

Sonic recommended that customers who see unauthorized activity on their accounts contact their bank or credit union. Those consumers also can report suspected incidents of identity theft to local law enforcement, the Federal Trade Commission at 877-438-4338 or the state Attorney General’s office.