Wow, and people worry about usually only worry about this in connection to online shopping only. Thanks for the heads up.

Indeed. Happened to me once at a gas station, which is another common place for this to happen.

Usually 'skimming' involves one location. This is hugely larger.

Ya it looks to me like somebody's data bank got raided.  Again.

The skimming may have been happening up to December 15... that seems a very long time for this to go on undetected.

From what I've read on CNN, Target hasn't specified exactly how the breach occurred.

http://money.cnn.com/2013/12/18/news/companies/target-credit-card/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

I'm not surprised that the breach itself happened, there are always those trying to do these things out there. What does surprise me that it could have happened for nearly three weeks:

- from targets standpoint: it shows a flaw in their system;

- from the thieves standpoint: it just increases the probability of getting caught.

I must Thank you DrJHBL for bringing this to my attention. I do hope that the investigation leads to some better precautions on these systems, not to mention the capture of the thieves themselves.

Guess I don't feel so 'ancient' now.  i pay with cash for everything, except for the very few on line purchases I make (like at StarDock).  Why?  The convenience of having so many purchases run through a massive electronic data system (credit/debit cards) etc also entails a very significant and increased risk that things may go awry.  Both stealing your money, and tracking you activities to improve 'their' profile of you are things I seek to minimize.  I admit I am not skilled enough to go head to head with all the scammers, cons, and corporate entities that strive to separate me from my money.  So I limit their reach.  I dread the day when cash is eliminated and all monies are digital (stored on cards/accounts somewhere 'out there' in the web/cloud/NSA servers). 

If only the lawyers would pursue the hackers with the same fervor that they leap upon the open wound.

Update: Target hackers stole encrypted bank PINs - source:

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/12/24/uk-target-databreach-exclusive-idUKBRE9BN0L420131224

^ yup. Damned criminals. Sick of them.