In case you are one of the 40 million Target credit and debit card users whose information has been compromised, here are some answers to a round up of the most common questions in regards to the theft by the Associated Press.
If your information has been stolen you should check your credit and debit card statement to see if any new or suspicious charges show up. If suspicious activity is found, contact your credit card company immediately, or call Target at 866-852-8680 where you can report the theft to the Federal Trade Commission, the AP reported
After this incident, you should always keep in mind the best way to protect yourself is through the use of cash, though many shoppers do not feel safe carrying around large amounts of money, according to the AP.
The AP also states that debit cards do not carry the same type of protection as some credit card companies provide, like fraud protection. Debit card users may encounter a harder process of getting their money back if their debit card number is stolen.
Though Target is not releasing any information on how the breach occurred, they are assisting consumers in avoiding the fraudulent charges by working with the credit card companies and flagging illegal purchases on your card before they go through and will shut down your card.
In most other cases, the company will remove the charges you claim are fraudulent and since the breach is tied to Target, they will be compensating banks and credit card companies, the AP reported.
With such a big breach of security, many are wondering if the perpetrators will be caught, but according to Founder and Chief Executive of Secure State Ken Stasiak, the attacks sophistication only leave a five percent chance the thieves will be caught and charged.
The Secret Service is also now investigating the breach because they are responsible not only for the protection of the president, but also for the nation's financial infrastructure and payments systems giving them jurisdiction over a variety of financial claims, according to the AP.
