ABC News
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The
CEO of Target apologized to the public for slower call center and
website access and is now offering a 10 percent discount to all
customers after a massive data breach left information of about 40
million shoppers vulnerable to thieves.
Target Offers Mea Culpa to Guests With Discount
Dec. 21, 2013
By SUSANNA KIM
Business Digital Reporter
The CEO of Target
apologized to the public for slower call center and website access and
is now offering a 10 percent discount to all customers after a massive
data breach left information of about 40 million shoppers vulnerable to
thieves.
In his message, Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel said on Friday that the
issue of unauthorized access to payment card data at their U.S. stores
"has been identified and eliminated," and not all customers who shopped
between Black Friday and last week are victims of fraud.
"Most importantly, we want to reassure guests that they will not be held
financially responsible for any credit and debit card fraud. And to
provide guests with extra assurance, we will be offering free credit
monitoring services. We will be in touch with those impacted by this
issue soon on how and where to access the service."
Read More: Fury and Frustration Over Target Data Breach
Steinhafel apologized to guests who tried to reach Target via its
website or call center while it faces "unprecedented call volume." To
ease the public's perception of Target, Steinhafel is offering a 10
percent in-store discount to customers in a single transaction on
Saturday and Sunday.
"It was a crime against Target, our team members, and most importantly,
our guests," he said in his statement. "We're in this together, and in
that spirit, we are extending a 10 percent discount – the same amount
our team members receive – to guests who shop in U.S. stores on Dec. 21
and 22."
Read More: 8 Ways to Trim Your Christmas Gift List
But whether the discount and free credit card monitoring service will
ease the nerves of Target shoppers who have already been victims of
credit card fraud is yet to be seen.
ABC News has learned that credit card numbers stolen from the recent
data breach at Target are now hitting the black market in the form of
fake credit cards.
Missy Thompson of Tennessee believed her card was part of the huge breach when she noticed unusual activity on her card.
"I was thinking, I didn't go to Walgreens. I would never spend 250
dollars in Walgreens so, that got my attention," Thompson told ABC News
Radio.
Matt Ferrante, a former secret service agent said once stolen credit
cards are harvested, they're "dispersed all over the world and usually
distributed through on-line organized crime."
ABC News Radio contributed to this report.
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