Target breach worse than thought, states launch joint probe

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/10/us-target-breach-idUSBREA090L120140110

One of our local banks instructed their customers to *not* do PIN transactions with their debit cards if possible. They say it's much safer to do a credit transaction (with their debit card) instead.

 

I know someone who just had to replace their debit card again. This is the fifth time that using a debit card at Target has caused their card to be replaced. GOOD-BYE TARGET. Over 70 million accounts were affected. I think someone already covered this subject a few days ago. But I may be wrong. I'm one of those guys who walk into the kitchen, open the fridge door about 50 times a day and still don't know what I am looking for. Someone gave us herbal tea for memory. You guessed it, we both keep forgetting to drink it. Isn't getting old wonderful.

 

Unbelievable. I doubt I'll be shopping at Target anytime soon.

A nearby supermarket chain (Aldi) had a rash of stolen PIN numbers a few years back. Banks like BB&T now instruct their account holders to always do credit transactions if using a debit card (many of their account holders shopped at Aldi). They say it's much safer than using your PIN. I wonder if that practice makes any difference in cases like Target.

 

Thanks James. Aldi just opened a store right near where we live. Didn't know they were having the same problem as Target. I wonder if they have a liste of stores that were affected by this breach of security. So now it's GOOD BYE ALDI. Many people are using debit cards because their banks are offering rewards points each time you use their card. No rewards points are worth having your account information stolen.

 

Good question.

If I can dig up some info, I will post it ASAP.

 

Appreciate it. Thanks

 

here's a novel idea - pay in CASH.

Neiman Marcus has also admitted a breach, but there may be many more.

"banks and credit card firms like Visa are forbidden from naming merchants that have been breached, unless they disclose it themselves. "
"Retailers are often reluctant to report breaches out of concern it could hurt their businesses."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/11/security-breach-more-retailers_n_4583200.html

 

That makes a heap of sense, Steve, but I can't get over lj's statement about replacing five debit cards because someone shopped at Target.

 

Here's a link to it, lj...

Security breach hits Aldi in 11 states​

 

I used to pay for items with personal checks until debit cards hit the mainstream. I have some friends that still use cash.


Found this piece from your link...

One of the pieces of malware they used was something known as a RAM scraper, or memory-parsing software, which enables cyber criminals to grab encrypted data by capturing it when it travels through the live memory of a computer, where it appears in plain text, the sources said.

While the technology has been around for many years, its use has increased in recent years as retailers have improved their security, making it more difficult for hackers to obtain credit card data using other approaches.​

Here's a good article about the process in more detail...

A look at Point of Sale RAM scraper malware and how it works​

 

That someone with the five debit cards is my wife. The only reason we found out that it was Target a few times is that last year the bank finally disclosed that information. Before that we didn't have a clue which retailers were breached. Thanks for all the links everyone. I will certainly read them.

 

I saw on the local news, today, that Target is doing a major overhaul of it's security measures.

 

Problem with paying cash is that I am so poor that I still have to have 2 co-signers when I pay cash.

I do like to pay cash when ever possible. Sure hate to walk around with a lot of cash in my pocket though.

 

Well, being in the UK AFAIK we don't have many/any Target stores, however just imagine how many people would have shopped there for gifts. *shudders* Is it not also more likely that these people used credit cards as well!? Surely the amount of people affected must be huge.

 

That's about as bad as writing a personal check for fifty cents.


Did that a time or two when I was a young working lad.

 

I worked with a guy that would stop at a convince store and buy a pack of cigarettes and that is it and write a check for it. Later he would stop at another and buy a soft drink and snack cake and write a check for it. Then do it at lunch for a couple of hot dogs and a drink. Then cigarettes again in the afternoon and later another drink and snack cake. We both belonged to the same Credit Union and they didn't charge a monthly fee for checks. He would do 5 at least every day. Would drive right by the CU and wouldn't stop and get a few bucks for the week. Would hate to balance their check book at the end of the month.

 

I always hated to balance a checkbook (thank God for overdraft protection ) until I installed Microsoft Money about 10 years ago.