Did something stupid........

[CathyA]

I got a new VISA card (because of an unauthorized purchase) BEFORE the problem with Target.
I went to Target yesterday and totally forgot I was going to use cash, and used my new VISA card. :(
Is it still at risk there??
I guess I had too much on my mind and was a robot at the checkout. Dang.

[pcooley]

Since I've been listening to Dave Ramsey so much, I read the first part of your first sentence and thought "you can always just cut that thing up!"

I think that Target has ironed their security breach out. I wouldn't worry about it. There must always be some level of risk using a card anywhere. In my experience, even with my debit card, the bank has been quick to resolve unauthorized charges.

Of course it's always better to use cash.

[lmerullo]

I think you are fine - they have been aware of the breech for a long time and I would assume they have assembled an adequate defense going forward.

[SteveinMN]

Mr. Cooley has it exactly right.

Target (I know people who work in corporate) is pretty much on IT lockdown at the moment and anything to do with computer security is being examined very carefully now. And though it seems a little carefree, you are not liable for unauthorized charges and the like. So there's little to worry about at Target that you should not worry about anyplace else. IMHO, Target was the unlucky first duck. It could just as easily have been Walmart or Tesco or Federated or Safeway.

[CathyA]

Thanks everyone!
I've heard that lots of other countries use chips in their credit cards. I wonder why we're so slow to do that?

[Blackdog Lin]

Related to this: I of course saw all the news stories about the Target breach, and didn't think a thing about it as I shop at Target about once a year (there are none in my immediate area). This week I got an email from Target telling me my "information" was at risk, what I could/should do etc. And I'm going WTF, and looked it up on my Quicken, and the last time I used my debit card at a Target was February 2013. So I sigh in relief, they've made a mistake, I don't need to do anything.....

And then yesterday the bloggers start putting it out that the security breach was in the actual Target servers (or whatever) and I figure out that it's my OLD information that has potentially been put out there. I guess I'd better go in Monday and get a new debit card, just in case.

But I do wonder: how did Target get my email address? How did they connect my email address to my debit card, to identify me as a potential security "victim"? I can figure out that it's not a scam, but.....

[ApatheticNoMore]

Those emails are FAKE. If they ask for information DON'T GIVE IT TO THEM, don't click on links. I strongly suspect they're "phishing".

Why? Cause I got an email too and I wondered how the heck target got my email, like have I ever given them my email, I don't even give my email away to stores and stuff. Plus I've never had a target card. Plus I almost never use credit cards (ok if I'm at the store and find out I forget to bring money, I wont' bother to go home again, but that's about all). Plus I doubt my credit card company even has my email (though I couldn't say 100%). So that's all I can figure - it's a phishing scam I think.

[CeciliaW]

I got one of those Target emails and I haven't shopped at a Target in over 5 years. I'd bet it's a fake email like they've been showing on the news.

[Blackdog Lin]

Well I didn't and wouldn't click on any links. It didn't ask for info, just gave links to monitoring websites. (but thanks for the warning ANM).

Could someone more technologically savvy explain how these emails might be a scam? ANM might very well be correct, since I couldn't figure out how Target would have my email address. But the breach did go well beyond current transactions. So how do you know?

[goldensmom]

Well I didn't and wouldn't click on any links. It didn't ask for info, just gave links to monitoring websites. (but thanks for the warning ANM).

Could someone more technologically savvy explain how these emails might be a scam? ANM might very well be correct, since I couldn't figure out how Target would have my email address. But the breach did go well beyond current transactions. So how do you know?

I also got the Target e-mail and wondered the same thing about the e-maill address then remembered that the only time I used a credit card at Target (which I don't shop at because of distance) was several years ago when I made an online purchase and had to give my e-mail address. If it truly was legitimate communication from Target then they keep information for a long time and that is disturbing.

[Float On]

you can go to the Target website and click the link to the info about the breech and down the right side they have copies of the official emails they have sent to Target customers. I got an email and went to the Target site and verified that yes, that was a real offer for the year credit monitoring. I do shop Target with a RedCard (it's a much quieter easier store to shop than Wal-Mart). I had already pulled a credit report a couple weeks ago and nothing hinky yet. I'll sign up for the monitoring.

[Tradd]

I'm with Chase, and they automatically sent me a new debit card. I shopped at Target, paying with my debit card, the Saturday BEFORE T'giving. I've had no unauthorized charges on the old one. I went to Target for the first time in weeks a few days ago and I paid with cash.

[gimmethesimplelife]

Cathy, hi!

Sorry about the above where it says I tried to edit your comment. I meant to reply with quote and somehow I botched it up and I did not edit your post.

What I meant to reply to your post with was this - I understand it would cost a lot of money to implement chips in cards. I wish TPTB could think beyond quarterly results on this one and realize that implementing chips in cards would save money long term if not short term. Certainly with all the fraudulent activity going on out there it must run into billions every year that could be saved by placing chips in cards.....Rob

[Blackdog Lin]

Thank you Float On for the info. I went to Target.com and verified that my email was indeed the real deal, and I've started the process for the free one-year credit monitoring. I'm also gonna go ahead and get a new debit card number, just for peace of mind.

[ToomuchStuff]

I also got the Target e-mail and wondered the same thing about the e-maill address then remembered that the only time I used a credit card at Target (which I don't shop at because of distance) was several years ago when I made an online purchase and had to give my e-mail address. If it truly was legitimate communication from Target then they keep information for a long time and that is disturbing.

Online information, is 90+% FOREVER. Being it was a purchase (effectively contract law), you bet they kept it.

Thanks for the heads up about the email verification on their site Float On. I knew it didn't have any "click here" links, but thought it might be a first spam, before sending some with a click here or open x type of link.

[SteveinMN]

I wish TPTB could think beyond quarterly results on this one and realize that implementing chips in cards would save money long term if not short term. Certainly with all the fraudulent activity going on out there it must run into billions every year that could be saved by placing chips in cards.
You say that putting chips in cards would save money long term, but I don't know as you're following the money we're discussing. ;) Introducing smart(er) cards certainly would be a huge capital expense, what with replacing every credit/debit card every user has (between DW and I there probably are 8-10 and we don't have anywhere near as many cards as some people do) -- and every card reader: every ATM, every gas pump, every POS terminal at a shop or restaurant -- pretty much anywhere plastic is accepted, which is pretty much everywhere in the U.S.

One would think that it would be worth doing (or would have been done already). But the dirty secret is that Chase and Wells Fargo and Target and all the card issuers don't pay for that fraudulent activity directly -- we do, in what we pay for goods and services, just as we pay for retail "shrink" and industrial waste in manufacturing. It's a cost of doing business. As long as Chase/Wells Fargo/Target/etc. are not taking $$ out of their executive officers' salaries to fix this, I would not expect any push by card issuers themselves to move to smarter cards. Why spend your own money when other peoples' money is so easy to get?