Target agrees to pay out $19m to MasterCard issuers

Target has agreed to pay out $19 million to cover costs incurred by MasterCard issuers following the retailer’s 2013 data breach.

The pay-outs will cover the costs incurred by MasterCard issuers that had to reissue credit cards to replace the 40 million compromised in the Target breach. The attack also might have resulted in the theft of personal information, such as email addresses and telephone numbers, from as many as 110 million people.

The settlement does not include financial institutions that issue Visa-branded cards, since Target is negotiating separately with Visa.

The agreement between Target and MasterCard will see the credit card company recommend that its customers accept the deal, which revolves around 90 per cent of eligible account holders accept the offer by May 20th.

Issuers that do not accept the offer will have their claims assessed by MasterCard, but Target has committed to “defend itself vigorously” from claims made outside the settlement deal.

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