Target Security Breach

[ledboots]

I'm going to super Target today. 10% off groceries sounds good to me! I'll just pay cash.

 

[RabbitLuvr]

I only every use my Target credit card at Target. I'll keep an eye on my statements, but I won't hesitate to continue shopping there (as long as I'm paying with my Target card, that is).

Sounds like this weekend would be a good time to buy something expensive there...

 

[RascalsMom]

More than a lot of stores would do.

 

[Snowcone]

More than a lot of stores would do.

I'm imagining Walmart doing a two percent price hike to "recoup the damages they've suffered to their reputation" and slashing employee hours by ten percent across the board.

 

[Amy SF]

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-...nology-20131221,0,7876975.story#axzz2o8EdtvLn

Cheap bastards. They better hurry up and upgrade.

btw, they should upgrade gift card technology as well. Gift cards also have magnetic strips which make them easily hackable. I've read of one scam in which hackers use special technology to pull the data off gift cards at the store and then use the data to make free purchases online. Nothing seems out of the ordinary at first. They are activated and paid for, but then the users of these gift cards don't realize that they have no value until they try to use them.

http://www.darkreading.com/vulnerability/gift-cards-convenient-and-easy-to-hack/220900404

Oh yeah, and store loyalty cards, too. I have a bunch of them. And though loyalty cards seem to be less important than credit/debit/gift cards, one of my supermarket loyalty cards also functions as a debit card and is linked to my checking account. I've used it this way for many years without any problems. However, in light of this security breach, maybe I should consider ending that function.

 

[PTree15]

My sister, who rarely goes to Target, went during this period and found out her card was compromised. Her bank is issuing her a new card with a lot more restrictions on use. Apparently, many companies don't use better protection procedures because, shocker, they cost more. *sigh*

 

[RabbitLuvr]

I guess my husband used his personal bank card during this time but he's just watching his statements.

Saved and additional $8 off my groceries yesterday, though.

 

[Kitties]

I only shop with cash in stores anymore. But I think everyone is at risk at any time. I do use my credit card online but try to use my paypal account as much as possible for online shopping.

Too bad this happened.

 

[thefadedone]

My sister, who rarely goes to Target, went during this period and found out her card was compromised. Her bank is issuing her a new card with a lot more restrictions on use. Apparently, many companies don't use better protection procedures because, shocker, they cost more. *sigh*

Sorry to hear that. What a huge mess for customers and the banks.

I guess my husband used his personal bank card during this time but he's just watching his statements.

Saved and additional $8 off my groceries yesterday, though.

I hope his info is alright.

I only shop with cash in stores anymore. But I think everyone is at risk at any time. I do use my credit card online but try to use my paypal account as much as possible for online shopping.

Too bad this happened.

I only use cash also. For the longest time it was the opposite. I used my debit for everything and never carried around cash. Now it's the opposite. I find it safer to only use cash.

 

[RascalsMom]

Had my debit card replaced, just in case.

 

[PTree15]

Thanks, thefadedone. I think I am going to start using more cash again. I felt safer not having to carry cash around, but anymore, it seems a better way to go. Every other week we're hearing about security breaches with financial information.

 

[Snowcone]

http://www.techspot.com/news/55151-...data-was-stolen-during-black-friday-hack.html

Target admits that encrypted debit pins were stolen as well during the debacle. They say that the hackers have no way of decrypting them, but at this point, who would take that risk?

 

[shyvas]

Apparently, the only reason this worked was because American businesses, banks and credit card companies are too cheap to use the better security already available in places such as Europe.

NPR story on the matter

''While the US lags behind much of the rest of the world in chip adoption, that’s largely because it has had a very effective domestic system for processing transactions in real time based on cheap telecommunications.''

The following article explains the difference between magnetic (swipe) and chip credit/debit cards.

I don't carry cash around when I over here (only when obroad in case of an emergency) as it far riskier getting your handbag snatched than your credit card hacked.

http://www.minyanville.com/sectors/...it-Card-Security/10/8/2013/id/52098?refresh=1

 

[thefadedone]

Michael's might have been hacked also. http://news.msn.com/us/michaels-warns-of-possible-payment-card-breach?ocid=fbmsnnews