Like many of you, we at eMazzanti recently received correspondence from Target. It details the security breach that they suffered in mid-December where criminals forced their way into their systems, stealing the personal information of millions of their loyal customers. And they are not alone. The same has happened recently with Neiman Marcus and according to Reuters, at least three other well-known US retailers.
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 website. If you have further questions, you may call us at 866-852-8680.
Gregg Steinhafel
Chairman, President and CEO
The email and most of the media is going to great lengths to share what can be done from the customer side to assist in protecting this critical data. From monitoring and reporting suspicious transactions, to recommendations on when and how to share this personal information, a flood of information is being funneled to protect the public from cyber-crimes.
But what about from the retail side? What about those on the other side of the fence responsible for the protection of this critical and personal data? This is where eMazzanti Technologies comes into play.
At eMazzanti, we invest thousands of dollars a month in providing training and resources to our staff. From our award winning firewalls, to the most advanced Antivirus software, each is designed to afford you layers of protection.
These are just some of the things that eMazzanti can do to shield you from finding yourself in a similar predicament. Although there is never a 100% guarantee, we are always looking to make sure that you are protected so that you can run your business in the most efficient way possible and focus on what is most important…your business.
For more information contact Carl Mazzanti 866-EMAZZANTI or visit us at www.emazzanti.net.
