Update:
The data breach was much larger than Target initially announced. Although the company originally estimated that only 40 million customers were impacted, Target said Friday morning that as many as 110 million shoppers were affected. The stolen information included customer names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses, along with the debit and credit card information. Furthermore, the personal data stolen was not limited to those who shopped at Target from November 27-December 15. Recent information shows that past shoppers may have been affected as well. Target said that much of this data is “partial in nature,” however, they will provide one year of free credit monitoring and identity theft protection to all guests who shopped at its US stores. Customers will have 3 months to enroll in the program, which will include complimentary credit report, daily credit monitoring, identity theft insurance, and access to personalized assistance.
40 Million Credit/Debit Cards Breached in Target Hacking- Jan 6, 2014
On Thursday, December 19, Target announced that up to forty million of its shoppers may have had their credit and debit card data breached in a massive hack. Shoppers who made purchases at Target, the nation’s #2 general merchandise retailer, from November 27- December 15 may be impacted. The hackers worked during these first weeks of the holiday season to steal customer data, including customer names, credit and debit numbers, card expiration dates, and the three-digit security codes located on the back of cards. Target has assured customers that their birth dates and social security numbers were not compromised, and there is no indication that any debit card PIN numbers were taken. The data breach did not affect online purchases either.
Target has insured that the problem is fixed and no further accounts will be breached, so shoppers can continue to shop at their stores without worry. Although they are unable to identify how their systems were hacked, Target is currently working with federal law enforcement and outside experts to investigate the attack. Target has given the card numbers of those who may have been impacted to Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express, so these companies can monitor the impacted cards for fraud. They have also set up a hotline and advised customers to check their statements carefully for any unauthorized activity.
Source: CNN
