[2BNTV]

Originally Posted by ilovetv

This is an email I got today, from Target CEO. It's all relevant to this thread.

Dear Target Guest,
As you may have heard or read, Target learned in mid-December that criminals forced their way into our systems and took guest information, including debit and credit card data. Late last week, as part of our ongoing investigation, we learned that additional information, including name, mailing address, phone number or email address, was also taken. I am writing to make you aware that your name, mailing address, phone number or email address may have been taken during the intrusion.

I am truly sorry this incident occurred and sincerely regret any inconvenience it may cause you. Because we value you as a guest and your trust is important to us, Target is offering one year of free credit monitoring to all Target guests who shopped in U.S. stores, through Experian’s® ProtectMyID® product which includes identity theft insurance where available. To receive your unique activation code for this service, please go to creditmonitoring.target.com and register before April 23, 2014. Activation codes must be redeemed by April 30, 2014.

In addition, to guard against possible scams, always be cautious about sharing personal information, such as Social Security numbers, passwords, user IDs and financial account information. Here are some tips that will help protect you:

Never share information with anyone over the phone, email or text, even if they claim to be someone you know or do business with. Instead, ask for a call-back number.

Delete texts immediately from numbers or names you don’t recognize.

Be wary of emails that ask for money or send you to suspicious websites. Don’t click links within emails you don’t recognize.

Target’s email communication regarding this incident will never ask you to provide personal or sensitive information.

Thank you for your patience and loyalty to Target. You can find additional information and FAQs about this incident at our Target.com/databreach website. If you have further questions, you may call us at 866-852-8680.
Gregg Steinhafel
Chairman, President and CEO

It's free for a year and then, what will this cost their customers, going foward?

I will sign up for it, for the protection it offers? If there is such a thing as protection, when their system was comprised. Probably, I will drop their CC, after the year, is up. it's not worth the savings, to have one's personal data be compromised. If hackers broke in once, who can believe, it won't happen again. I think this is a case of locking the barn, after the horse ran away. It's damage contol. Target is afraid of their customers, flocking to other retail outlets. It is a shame, as Target does offer good quality products, at a reasonable price as they should have had, a better firewall.

Shame on them, for letting this happen, in the first place.