It seems target was not the only retail store affected by a security breach during the period of holidays, such as Neiman Marcus has revealed that his client was also a victim of a breach which exposed credit and customer information debit card, as reported by USA Today.
What offense the details?
The Neiman Marcus breach was discovered in mid-December by the store's credit card processor and confirmed in early January by the third-party security company. Neiman Marcus said he did not know the cause, size or duration of the infringement, but he noted that only in-store buyers were affected by the breach, similar to the breach of the target. The company also said it is working with the US Secret Service and some other security and forensics firms to settle all the details of the violation.
How can I protect my identity?
Considering that not much information is known about the violation Neiman Marcus, there are only a few things you can do to protect your identity. And since only those who shopped at brick and mortar stores have been affected, online shoppers do not need to take these steps.
1. Monitor your bank statements : Read through your detail by detail statement and make sure that all transactions have been completed by you. If there are any transactions you do not recognize, call your bank, report them as fraudulent and request a new debit or credit card. You can always choose to call your bank and ask for a new card before you spot all fraudulent transactions, but be aware that the policy of some banks is only reissue a card when it is confirmed fraud.
2. Change your PIN : Although Neiman Marcus did not say whether the infringement has revealed PINs, it is always a good idea for you to change your PIN to protect your identity and bank accounts. Make sure your new PIN is not a variation of your current PIN, and also try to avoid drawing on the keyboard, such as corners - 1-3-9-7 or any other variation - because these PINs are easy to guess. Unlike debit card policies, banks generally do not need fraud confirmed in order for you to change your PIN.
An additional step you can take to protect yourself is subscribe to a protection service against identity theft . These services not only to monitor all three of your credit reports, but also actively monitor trading and selling your personal information on the Internet black market. And the best part is that most identity theft protection services offer some kind of free trial so you can test the service before making any financial commitment. Check our reviews identity theft protection to see which service will best suit your needs.