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35 Shoppers stores in Greater Washington hit by credit card breach

By WTOP Staff

Supervalu Inc. has not said how many consumers were affected by a recent credit card data breach, but one security expert believes the number of credit card accounts involved could be “in the millions” — and that could potentially include customers at 35 Shoppers stores in Greater Washington.

There are 209 Supervalu affiliates impacted around the country, company executives say.

Though the incident was smaller than Target’s massive data rupture from 2013, the scope of Supervalu’s breach could be bigger than initially thought, according to Evan Francen, president of Minnesota-based information security management company FRSecure.

“It’s pretty widespread and it was almost a full month of card usage,” Francen told the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, a sister news operation. “Millions of card numbers were probably stolen. It’s disappointing that they haven’t been more forthcoming. No one really knows what’s going on.”

The Eden Prairie, Minnesota-based grocery supplier and retailer said in a press release there was an intrusion into a computer network that processed credit card transactions. The breach happened between June 22 and July 17, according to the company. Supervalu said the intruders may have been able to cull account numbers, card expiration dates and cardholder name information upon gaining access to point-of-sale systems.

Below is a list of Shoppers locations in Greater Washington affected by the breach. For a complete list of impacted stores, follow this link. A Supervalu call center for questions on the breach can be reached at (855) 731-6018.

Maryland

  1. Shoppers, 4801 Marlboro Pike, Capitol Heights
  2. Shoppers, 6300 Coventry Way, Clinton
  3. Shoppers, 4720 Cherry Hill Road, College Park
  4. Shoppers, 3831 Bladensburg Road, Colmar Manor
  5. Shoppers, 2950 Donnell St., Forestville
  6. Shoppers, 5820 Silver Hill Road, Forestville
  7. Shoppers, 18066 Mateny Road, Germantown
  8. Shoppers, 2441 Chillum Road, Hyattsville
  9. Shoppers, 5110 Nicholson Lane, Kensington
  10. Shoppers, 7051 Martin Luther King Jr. Highway, Landover
  11. Shoppers, 10501 Martin Luther King Jr. Highway, Lanham
  12. Shoppers, 806 Largo Center Drive, Largo
  13. Shoppers, 13600 Baltimore Ave., Laurel
  14. Shoppers, 3441 Fort Meade Road, Laurel
  15. Shoppers, 7790 Riverdale Road, New Carrollton
  16. Shoppers, 18140 Village Mart Drive, Olney
  17. Shoppers, 6111 Livingston Road, Oxon Hill
  18. Shoppers, 6881 New Hampshire Ave., Takoma Park
  19. Shoppers, 2201 Randolph Road, Wheaton

Virginia

  1. Shoppers, 3801 Jefferson Davis Highway, Alexandria
  2. Shoppers, 6200 Little River Turnpike, Alexandria
  3. Shoppers, 7660 Richmond Highway, Alexandria
  4. Shoppers, 9274 Old Kenne Mill Road, Burke
  5. Shoppers, 6335 Multiplex Drive, Centreville
  6. Shoppers, 4174 Fortuna Center Plaza, Dumfries
  7. Shoppers, 9622 Main Street, Fairfax
  8. Shoppers, 6360 Seven Corners Center, Falls Church
  9. Shoppers, 7005 Manchester Lakes, Franconia
  10. Shoppers, 2425 Centreville Road, Herndon
  11. Shoppers, 1079 Edwards Ferry Road NE, Leesburg
  12. Shoppers, 9409 Lorton Market St., Lorton
  13. Shoppers, 9540 Liberia Ave., Manassas
  14. Shoppers, 10864 Sudley Manor Drive, Manassas
  15. Shoppers, 47100 Community Plaza, Stafford
  16. Shoppers, 14000 Shoppers Best Way, Sterling

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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