Heckuva job, Target.
During the Christmas shopping season, tens of millions of Target shoppers had their credit card and personal information compromised in a data breach.
Oh hey, Target didn't only lose credit card numbers. Name, mailing address, phone number, and email address, if you've bought online.
— Greg Knight (@gregalor) January 16, 2014
Weeks later, Gregg Steinhafel, chairman, CEO and president of Target, is reaching out via email to offer customers a year of free Experian credit monitoring.
Attn Target Shoppers: The company is offering free @Experian credit monitoring. Go to http://t.co/qZWhtFEN6C by 4/23 to get activation code
— Jean Chatzky (@JeanChatzky) January 16, 2014
But many consumers think there’s something a little fishy — or phishy — about the emails. A lot of recipients don’t trust email from Target and aren’t too keen on clicking links in the emails.
Anyone else get the @target email regarding credit monitoring and think, "this could be an elaborate phishing scheme?"
— Ɱ (@MAJikMARCer) January 16, 2014
@Target fraud alert: got this phishy email from [email protected] (screenshot attached) pic.twitter.com/MHd21BqK38
— Marcello Damasceno (@marcellod) January 16, 2014
https://twitter.com/KatieDelks/status/423841960466460673
Hey @target, is this legit? pic.twitter.com/ZQt2wJA3Ar
— JT (@JT1045) January 16, 2014
Email purportedly from @Target sure feels like another scam. Sent from [email protected]. Don't trust it. pic.twitter.com/QrLnJoMNd9
— Jim St. Leger (@JimStLeger) January 16, 2014
https://twitter.com/thecheezem/status/423843484597256193
Recommended
@target Real or scam? Did I get this email because you KNOW or just SUSPECT my email compromised? #target # msnbc pic.twitter.com/MJSvBkiHkc
— Sapphire Stevens (@SaphireAmosAndy) January 16, 2014
Hey, Target, this isn’t helping matters:
#Target sends out #breach emails from a a "http://t.co/vHqgG0EMOd" address. So they look like phishing emails. Such a #fail
— Sheryl Harris (@consumerwriter) January 16, 2014
How stupid can @target get? Got an e-mail from 3rd pty http://t.co/kSgf8wuX4e offering CC monitoring. Genuine e-mail but looks like spam.
— Colin White (@ColinJWhite) January 16, 2014
Target breach notifications come from [email protected] … Seems a little odd, took it as spam/phishing for a bit.
— Jeff Jarmoc ?? (@jjarmoc) January 16, 2014
@Target Checking – the email my wife got offering 1 year of credit monitoring is legit? It came from the email "[email protected]"
— Chris Reimer | Boosa Tech (@ChrisReimer) January 16, 2014
Target confirms that [email protected] is the sender for some of these emails (PDF).
@ChrisReimer The credit monitoring offer is legit. You can also visit http://t.co/ifcxHkxTei to verify our official communication.
— AskTarget (@AskTarget) January 16, 2014
The emails are also reaching people who don’t recall giving Target their email addresses.
I just got an apology email from Target…prompting the question: How did Target get my email??? #yikes #waitingonneimans
— gwen ifill (@gwenifill) January 15, 2014
Things that disturb me: getting email from Target about credit card-gate when I've never given them my email.
— Dr Erin Ryan (@erinleeryan) January 16, 2014
How did #Target get my email address? I have never ordered anything online and I do not have a Target credit card.
— DeepBlue Sea (@deepbluesea1956) January 15, 2014
https://twitter.com/laralea/status/423858660625096704
How did @Target get my email address?
— Pearlie White (@LeakinYours) January 16, 2014
@Habziefan09 @Target … I shouldn't get an email from a place I never gave my email to, saying all that stuff may b stolen too. How?!
— Jen Bernstein-Hanlon (@lil_whip) January 16, 2014
@Target I just got an email about you offering free credit monitoring is this real? I don't remember ever giving Target my email
— Glorious Kev (@GloriousKev) January 15, 2014
Has anybody received a @Target email about when they got hacked and customers? Idk if to trust it because I never gave them my email.
— Karina (@karinnaax) January 16, 2014
Just got the email from @target saying my data stolen. Funny thing – not sure how they had my email address in the first place. Hmmm.
— Jeff Kolb (@jpkolb) January 16, 2014
Target’s answer:
@weavez22 We pulled emails from a variety of sources, online purchases, weekly ad alerts, managed REDcard, registry or sweepstakes.
— AskTarget (@AskTarget) January 16, 2014
In addition to concern about whether the emails are legit, some Twitter users are saying “thanks, but no thanks” to data safety advice from Target. The email warns, “Don’t click links within emails you don’t recognize.”
https://twitter.com/JackRSmelser/status/423848216186982400
Received email from @Target re:fraud. Site for credit monitoring is a link in email, site then warns you not to click links in emails. Yup.
— Amelia Helm (@AmeliaEHelm) January 16, 2014
https://twitter.com/MB_Perry/status/423885663659102208
https://twitter.com/nselby/status/423803531254972416
Love the email I got from @target giving me tips on how to keep my identity safe, NOT. #getouttahere #targetbreach #target
— Frumpy LeFox (@FrumpyLeFox) January 16, 2014
I appreciate the email from @Target w tips for keeping my identity & personal info safe, but hasn't that ship sailed thx to them?
— Jessica Gardner (@Jessica_Gardner) January 15, 2014
@Target sent me an email talking about their data breach, and shared some tips on how not to get scammed…like they're experts @GripeO
— Jeff Seltzer (@seltzer77) January 16, 2014
Here’s the official word from Target’s verified Twitter account (which hopefully hasn’t been breached):
We’re providing all guests who shopped in our U.S. stores with 1 year of free credit monitoring & more. Get started: http://t.co/gW3VLlcTv1
— Target (@Target) January 13, 2014
hey @Target, is this email from Gregg Steinhafel about free year of credit monitoring real or another scam? I've lost my identity once #mad
— Domenic Palumbo (@dfpalumbo) January 15, 2014
@dfpalumbo No, it's not a scam! To sign up; please visit http://t.co/Kfo45i5Ql3
— Target (@Target) January 15, 2014
We're listening & noticing tweets about data breach emails. Official Target communication can be confirmed here: http://t.co/v4iu6QAfuH
— Target (@Target) January 16, 2014
Target’s “guest service desk” on Twitter is urging people to visit the corporate website to ensure they’re looking at “official communications.”
@Target can you confirm you sent an email offering a year of @Experian before I send my info via the link?
— MomsThoughts™ (@MomsThoughts) January 13, 2014
@MomsThoughts Check http://t.co/ifcxHkxTei for all official communication from Target.
— AskTarget (@AskTarget) January 13, 2014
@AskTarget I just want to make sure the email I rec'd wasn't a hack too. can't be too careful….
— MomsThoughts™ (@MomsThoughts) January 13, 2014
No kidding.
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