Mountain View, CA (January 21, 2014) – On the heels of one of the largest data breaches in history, Credit Sesame, the leading consumer credit advocacy company, speaks out against the attack on Target and Neiman Marcus, shares insight on how consumers can protect themselves in the event of a data breach, and reminds us all to take advantage of the no cost unlimited credit monitoring service available through CreditSesame.com.

The Target and Neiman Marcus Breaches: What You Should Know

Target’s breach compromised 70 million customer names, mailing addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses, as well as debit and credit card numbers, expiration dates, and the three-digit security codes. Neiman Marcus, the luxury retailer, has also confirmed that it too was a recent victim of a data breach. In response, Target is offering all of its customers one year of free credit monitoring through Experian’s® ProtectMyID® product which includes identity theft insurance where available. To sign up for the service customers will need a unique activation code and must register before the April 23, 2014 deadline.

“The year of identity theft insurance included in Target’s free monitoring offer is commendable, but one year just doesn’t cut it. Smart identity thieves wait until after the dust settles to attack, which can be years later.” says Olivier Lemaignen, Chief Marketing Officer for Credit Sesame. “Also, there are laws in place that protect consumers against fraudulent credit and debit card transactions, and in the event of a major data breach like Target’s, most banks and credit card issuers will automatically reissue a new card with a new account number.”

Protect Yourself

“Whether you think your data may have been compromised or not, the attack against Target has made one thing crystal clear,” says Adrian Nazari, founder and CEO of Credit Sesame. “No matter how cautious we are as consumers, the security of our personal information is always at risk. We may not be able to prevent a data breach from happening, but we can take steps to protect ourselves and limit the damage if it does.”

• Check your credit and debit card accounts frequently for any unauthorized transactions. If you spot any unusual charges, contact the issuer immediately.
• Review your credit reports for any unusual activity. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FRCA) gives you the right to a no cost copy of your credit report, once every 12 months, from each of the three credit reporting agencies through http://www.annualcreditreport.com.
• Use a credit monitoring service to catch any suspicious loan or credit activity, or sudden, unexpected drops in your credit score. Most services cost money, but there are also no cost resources such as CreditSesame.com, where you can get your free credit score, monthly credit score trending, and no cost credit monitoring alerts to help pinpoint unauthorized or sudden changes to your score or balances, which are often indicative of credit card fraud or identity theft.

No Cost Credit Monitoring for All

“The recent attack on Target and Neiman Marcus compels us to be vigilant and proactive in monitoring and protecting our most valuable information,” says Olivier Lemaignen. “Fortunately, we make this easy for everyone—not just data breach victims. Unlike Target’s no cost credit monitoring offer, Credit Sesame gives consumers no cost access to credit monitoring, credit scores, and credit score tracking— no coupon codes, no deadlines, and no expiration dates.”

For more complete coverage, in addition to what Target has provided, Credit Sesame offers a no cost credit score, credit monitoring, and credit score trending without a one year time limit, at http://www.creditsesame.com

About Credit Sesame

Credit Sesame is the personal credit advocate and loan expert, dedicated to helping individuals save money and live richly. From credit score and market monitoring, to customized financial analysis, and unbiased loans and savings recommendations, Credit Sesame gives people the tools they need to plan for their financial futures and safeguard their financial identities—all for no cost.

Credit Sesame’s proprietary savings recommendation engine, with bank-level analytics, monitors the market, runs thousands of scenarios and analyzes each individual’s financial profile, to identify the best loans and savings opportunities. Customers receive unbiased recommendations on home loans, auto loans, credit cards and other loans, customized for their personal financial situation.

For more information, visit http://www.creditsesame.com