Making money: Cleaning up your credit score, and more

Three top pieces of financial advice — from Target's credit card gaffe to how to prepare your 2013 tax return

Target credit card
(Image credit: (AP Photo/Phil Coale, file))

Target's credit card gaffe

Stay focused if you did any holiday shopping at Target, said Gregory Wallace at CNN. The big box retailer suffered a pre-Christmas hacking scandal in which credit and debit card data from 40 million accounts was stolen from its computers. The purloined data includes names, card numbers, expiration dates, security codes, and encrypted PINs for millions of customers who shopped between November 27 and December 15. If that could be you, look for a notice from Target, which is offering compromised customers free credit monitoring, a telephone hotline, and storewide discounts. Monitor your statements vigilantly for unauthorized transactions, and call Target, your bank, and your credit card company if you see any. In the meantime, "request a replacement card — if one isn't already on the way — and change your PIN."

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Sergio Hernandez is business editor of The Week's print edition. He has previously worked for The DailyProPublica, the Village Voice, and Gawker.