WASHINGTON – After Target’s security breach, many customers are scrambling to make sure they are not victims of identity theft.
Target says that customers who are concerned their accounts may have been one of the roughly 40 million credit and debit card accounts stolen in the breach should review their account statements and request a free credit report.
Federal law requires each of the three nationwide consumer credit reporting companies — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — to give people a free credit report every 12 months if requested. Obtain a free copy of your credit report by going to the Annual Credit Report website or by calling 877-322-8228.
“If you discover information on your credit report arising from a fraudulent transaction, you should request that the credit reporting agency delete that information from your credit report file,” Target wrote on its website.
Below is the contact information for the nationwide credit reporting agencies.
| Equifax | Experian | TransUnion (Fraud Victim Assistance Division) |
|---|---|---|
| 800-525-6285 | 888-397-3742 | 800-680-7289 |
| P.O. Box 740241 | P.O. Box 9532 | P.O. Box 6790 |
| Atlanta, GA 30374-0241 | Allen, TX 75013 | Fullerton, CA 92834-6790 |
| www.equifax.com | www.experian.com | www.transunion.com |
Below is the contact information in D.C., Maryland and Virginia for reporting and preventing identity theft. These offices can be reached at:
| Federal Trade Commission | Maryland Office of the Attorney General | Virginia Office of the Attorney General |
|---|---|---|
| Consumer Response Center | Consumer Protection Division | Consumer Protection Division |
| 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW | 200 St. Paul Place | 900 East Main Street |
| Washington, DC 20580 | Baltimore, MD 21202 | Richmond, VA 23219 |
| 877-IDTHEFT (438-4338) | 888-743-0023 | 800-552-9963 |
| http://www.ftc.gov/idtheft/ | www.oag.state.md.us | http://www.ag.virginia.go v/Consumer%20Protection/ |
Read more about what to in response to Target’s security breach on WTOP.com.
Related links:
- Target security breach affects up to 40M cards
- Answers to questions about the Target data breach
- Fury and frustration over Target data breach
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