Details of the actual hack are still sketchy, but so far it seems that if you shopped at an actual Target store between Black Friday and December 15 it’s a virtual certainty that your credit or debit card info is among the compromised accounts. Having cybercrooks drain your bank account or max out your cards is even more inconvenient over the holidays than other times of the year, so what can you do to protect yourself?
According to a detailed investigation by Brian Krebs, the credit info compromised in the Target hack has already made its way to online black market clearinghouse sites. Meanwhile, some financial institutions haven’t even been contacted to alert them as to whether or not their customers are affected.
The question 40 million or so Target customers are asking now is, “What am I supposed to do to protect myself?” Here are a few tips to help you:
1. Monitor your account. Don’t panic yet. Even if your account is one of those that was compromised, it doesn’t necessarily mean it will also be used for fraudulent purchases or other malicious activity. Log in to your account frequently, and scrutinize the purchases to make sure there are no suspicious or erroneous charges. If you see anything questionable, contact your bank or card provider immediately.
2. Contact your bank or card provider. A more proactive step to take is to contact the bank or credit provider preemptively. If you know you shopped at Target during the data breach window, and you know that most—if not all—of the credit cards used in Target during that timeframe have been hacked, it makes sense to call your bank or credit provider and ask for guidance on how to protect your account…
Read the full article at CSOOnline.com: 5 Things you should to protect yourself from Target data breach.