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Target shoppers' credit card info stolen over Black Friday


mountaintree16

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Uggh!  Well, we had only used cash at our nearest Target store since mid-November.  However,  I still amped up the security notifications from our bank anyway.  There had been an item at the nearest Target that I had had my eye on for a Black Friday purchase, but the lineups were too daunting, so I ended up ordering it online from another retailer.  I will be interested to see the details of this situation.  It looks like this wasn't just card skimming, but something within the software system itself, which is really bad.  I wonder if it picked up PIN numbers, too.  :(

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I saw this on the news today... This is one of the reasons I use my debit card as a credit card when they ask debit or credit, that way I don't have to enter my PIN, all these stores capture all that info.

Not sure who is to blame on this security breach, but hope they catch the culprits...

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  • Root Admin

You may want to reconsider using any debit card tied to your bank account.  

 

Credit cards are covered against fraud for a limit of $50

 

Debit cards are not covered and the bank does not have to return your funds if stolen.  Any amount of theft over I think it is $400 has to have a police report filled out (I spent almost 5 hours in the Police lobby waiting to get one filled out) then you need to return that report back to the bank.  Again though it really is up to the individual bank if they will refund your stolen funds. I was lucky and they did return mine, my Son had it happen too though and his bank did not return his funds.

 

I no longer use my debit card for anything except ATM cash withdraws at their bank if needed.  All transactions are now by credit card and I simply pay that off if I would have been using a debit card originally for the purchase.

 

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Good advice Ron, my bank has refunded me funds as well, they even call me when purchases are made that look out of my norm....

I got a call from them about 4 months ago when someone in California was trying to buy tires using a cloned card. After the investigation was over, two people from a local restaurant went to jail for cloning cards and selling them to people in California.

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[...]

I no longer use my debit card for anything except ATM cash withdraws at their bank if needed.  All transactions are now by credit card and I simply pay that off if I would have been using a debit card originally for the purchase.

[...]

 

Ron (and others);

 

Band of America, without notice or customer input) changed their ATM cards to a multiple-use ATM/Debit card years ago.. Needless to say, this irritated me to no end for the reason Ron mentioned; a debit card can drain your account with questionable recovery of funds lost.

 

I simply went to BofA and said this wasn't acceptable and I wanted an ATM-only card once again. With no argument or hassle, BofA provided me with one. Anybody else with a dual-use card should be able to make a similar request from their banking institution.

 

Just an FYI,

Steve

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Interesting follow up.  I'm still seeking factual, non-dramatic information.  This is pretty good.

http://krebsonsecurity.com/2013/12/cards-stolen-in-target-breach-flood-underground-markets/

 It would be nice if Target and the financial institutions would step up to the plate and provide the public with some facts so people aren't in such a panic about this.  I feel sorry for people who applied for the Target red cards at the cash registers and who now don't know if their bank accounts are compromised.  I don't see why Target can't provide a Q & A with at least that info.  Every time we went there in the last couple of months, we were reminded that we could save 5% with the card and we always declined.  We just used cash for about the last 2/3 of November and on.  No reason, it just worked out that way, and now I'm glad we did.  

 

Someone said the website of the criminals selling the stolen numbers is now "under construction".  Maybe they got hacked, would serve 'em right.   :angry2:

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Debit cards are not covered and the bank does not have to return your funds if stolen.  ...

That depends on your bank. I would believe mine has a policy to stop payments and not hold the account holder liable for fraudulent activity, so you should get your money back. There are probably limits on that, which I haven't bothered looking up.

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  • Root Admin

Yes I'm sure different banks have different policies.  My point is that the Credit Card "Industry" appears to have a universal or at least seemingly universal $50 limit on fraudulent charges and a bank card has none.  If you have $15,000 in your account and someone can figure that out and drain all $15,000 then your chances of getting it back are probably pretty slim at best.

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My bank seems like they would take care of things very nicely; thankfully, I've never had the need.

After a hack at a grocery store chain a while back now (my card was not compromised, but I had used it there during that time so I was taking no chances) I had my card number changed as a precaution (they didn't even charge me!) and from then on, I hardly ever used it; I would mostly do cash or a check.  These days, I have chosen just two places to use my debit card, and otherwise I use cash or checks (for bill paying).  Although the other day I had to break my rule and use my card at a gas station but I had them run it inside :)

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  • Root Admin

Not sure but hope they'll take care of it for you if it does happen.  When the money was like less than $50 my bank took care of it.  When it happened again and was over $500 they were not so quick to return the money.  Eventually after a few weeks and the police report they did though.

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Me too Ron.  I've read their policies on that several times, and I really should find out any updated policies and what I should do if it happens. I do phone banking, and I check that a couple times a month, sometimes more, and really, I should do it at least once a week.

 

I'm glad they finally returned it to you. 

 

What a disater that could be if that money was for something really important, rent, food, car payment, etc... ugh!  That's why I am so careful; if that happened to me, it would be a disaster (as I'm sure it would be for most people, but just saying)!

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My U.S. bank has a zero liability policy, just spoke with them about that on the phone.  And yes, they are swamped with phone calls right now.  

 

I read Target's facebook page, and at least one person wrote in who had lost the contents of her bank account--money for bills, rent, groceries...gone.  

 

There are stories on Krebs about people going to that website (where the stolen numbers are being sold) to see if their card number is there and finding their own card number up for sale.  Me, I wouldn't dare even visit that website.  Just not worth the risk.

 

If I were in the security business, I would get a great deal of satisfaction out of bringing down criminals like this.   :angry:

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That's great to hear Amethyst :)

 

That's awful!  That is why I am so careful/paranoid about using my debit card.  I also heard that WalMart is kinda vulnerable too, although I am not sure if its machines were breached this time around.

 

Oh wow... yeah I don't think I'd dare.

 

mmhmm

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I've used debit cards since (amended to add) about the very late 80's.  When we lived in the city, I carried around very little cash (as the functionality of debit cards improved), and I used the debit card for nearly everything and was happy for the convenience.  (This was in Canada.)  Since we've moved to the country, I had acquired a more 'bare bones' bank account that has a service charge for more than a certain set number of debit transactions, so I do use cash more nowadays.  I could get cash back for using a credit card for everyday purchases, but in terms of financial management, I prefer debit.  I have never, ever had any concern whatsoever about using a debit card.  I think there have been breaches in this country in the past, but they didn't affect me so I didn't pay much attention.  I can't say I recall hearing of any since Canada went to chip and PIN with all cards, both debit and credit.  

 

This time, we were in the U.S. and there was a Target store that we went to frequently.  Through sheer luck (and a distaste for Black Friday crowds), it looks like we missed the window with this particular situation.   However, just to be on the safe side,  I've increased the monitoring on my card activity.  

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Yes I'm sure different banks have different policies.  My point is that the Credit Card "Industry" appears to have a universal or at least seemingly universal $50 limit on fraudulent charges and a bank card has none.  If you have $15,000 in your account and someone can figure that out and drain all $15,000 then your chances of getting it back are probably pretty slim at best.

That probably depends on whether or not your account is with a bank that has FDIC insurance for that sort of thing. That, of course, only applies to U.S. banks.

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FDIC has nothing to do with fraud.  That is a federal insurance to guarantee that if the bank fails the Gov will back your money up to $100,000 originally but is now up to $250,000

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Deposit_Insurance_Corporation

 

Amen.. FDIC is to protect the customer against bank FAILURE (at the limits per account Ron mentioned,) nothing more; nothing less..

 

Steve

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  • Staff

If you're at all concerned that your card information may have been compromised, cancel the card and get a new one. Did an (unrelated) online chat with Bank of America recently and they made getting new (debit and credit) cards, deauthorizing the old ones, and moving on with life, incredibly easy.

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