SASEBO NAVAL BASE, Japan — Hackers breached a computer server at Chili’s Grill & Bar Restaurant at Yokosuka Naval Base, stealing credit card information and running up erroneous charges, according to Navy officials.
“We’ve received about 17 complaints so far,” base spokeswoman Michelle Stewart said Thursday. She added that officials don’t yet know when the breach occurred.
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is investigating.
Each Chili’s restaurant in Japan, including those at military installations in Okinawa, Sasebo, and Yokota, has a server on site that stores and reports data to the chain’s parent company in the States. So far, the thefts appear to be isolated to Yokosuka, and the restaurant is accepting only cash payments until the investigation is complete, officials said.
Ayumi Chiba, the restaurant’s manager, said that employees are among those who have had their card information stolen.
“Our equipment had a problem and some credit card information was stolen from customers and staff,” she said Thursday. “We want our customers and staff to feel secure so we are only taking cash. We hope we will be able to take credit cards again soon.”
In Sasebo, staffers at the Chili’s are still accepting credit cards but have been instructed to handle them with care, according to manager Ayaka Tsuruoka. They haven’t received any complaints, Tsuruoka said.
Navy officials have asked anyone who visited the Yokosuka location and used a card for payment to check their statements for any discrepancies and to report them immediately to the card issuer as well as NCIS at DSN 243-7535.