Milwaukee, Wis. – In the wake of new revelations about the data breach at Target stores, the Better Business Bureau serving Wisconsin recommends consumers who shopped there since November contact their financial institutions immediately if there are any regularities, or to request a replacement bank debit card.
Target has revealed hackers stole not only credit card numbers, but also email addresses, telephone numbers and mailing addresses from 70 million customers. The revelations about the extend of the breach and theft of additional personal information was initially revealed in mid-December.
The BBB recommends the following tips:
Don’t wait – Consumers who shopped at Target should contact their banks and credit card issuers immediately, and check monthly statements for any unauthorized charges. BBB recommends being especially vigilant in checking bank statements for the next several months. Your liability can increase the longer you wait after a card is lost or stolen.
Beware of “helpful” callers and emails – Hang up on anyone who calls or sends you an email claiming to be from your bank or Target and asks for personal information, supposedly to help lock down your accounts. Even if the email looks official, don’t click on any links. Go directly to www.target.com/databreach for additional information.
Check your credit report – You’re entitled to a free credit report every 12 months from each of the three credit monitoring companies at the government-sanctioned site www.annualcreditreport.com. Your reports will show whether anyone has opened accounts in your name.
Target also has a toll-free number to call -866-852-8680 – if you suspect your information has been stolen, and is offering one year of free credit monitoring for customers at risk.
For more information or further inquiries, contact the Wisconsin BBB at www.wisconsin.bbb.org or 414-847-6000 (metro Milwaukee), 920-734-4352 (Appleton), 608-268-2221 (Madison) or 1-800-273-1002 (elsewhere in Wisconsin). Consumers also can find more information about how to protect themselves from scams by following the Wisconsin BBB on Twitter, Facebook and You Tube.
