Shoppers fret about authenticity of Target emails

[Omaha Steve]

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140118/DABCSOUO2.html

By BREE FOWLER

NEW YORK (AP) - An email sent to the roughly 70 million Target customers who may have been affected by a pre-Christmas data breach is causing panic among those who fear it could be an attempt to victimize them again.

Target says the email, which offers free credit monitoring services to potential victims of the breach, is legitimate. But the company has identified a handful of scammers who are trying to take advantage of the public's fear and confusion.

Shawn Blakeman, 42, of Raleigh, N.C., received Target's email Friday morning, but he didn't click on the link it contained "just in case it was some kind of a website that I couldn't get out of or had a hidden virus," he says.

Consumers have been on edge since news of the data breach broke last month. And they've been warned to be on alert for possible follow-up attacks that could come in the form of phishing emails, electronic messages designed to implant malicious software on their computers or draw them to websites that prompt them to enter personal information.

FULL story at link.

[Jesus Malverde]

1. Maybe target should get off it's ass and send people real mail. To the address on file...nt

[Lifelong Protester]

2. I didn't click it either

they have my mail address, they can write to me the old-fashioned way.

It is strictly cash with them from now on.

[wandy]

3. From another OP, an other reply.............

I can't remember the last time I had anything to do with Target.
Not that I have any bad feelings about them. Its just I had no need to.

So why am I getting these E-Mails from Target and how/why do they have my E-Mail address.

[murielm99]

4. I am wondering the same thing.

I have not shopped there in about fifteen years. My email has changed since then. Why are they emailing me?

[wandy]

5. Maybe not so much why as how...........

I could understand if it were Amazon or Newegg, I have accounts with them.
I can't remember the last time I was even inside a Target. It's not that I had any problem with Target it's just that they might as well not be there. I've had no reason to deal with them. They have no business having my E_Mail address.
Their correspondences aren't like junk mail advertising, but are rather like something went wrong with an order or something.
Sure their are people who sell E-Mail addresses but I would have expected advertising from Target to have ended up in the same trash can as "Improve you're size with................." type junk.