MasterCard Issues Security Alert

MasterCard has issued an alert that some merchants have received fraudulent 'MasterCard Security Alert' email messages. The messages refer to a fictitious recent hacking attempt, and ask the merchant to run a 'test transaction' to determine if they were affected by the hack.

MasterCard said this is an attempt by an outside party to gain transaction information. Once the outside party has the stolen information they can use it to try to make purchases and get refunds.

The company said if any merchant receives an unsolicited email, phone call, text message or social media request from an individual or organization purporting to be a MasterCard security representative do not respond. Instead report the attempt at the following address: datasecurity@mastercard.com.