McDaniel launches investigation into Target security breach

The state attorney general has started an investigation into the local impact of the Target security breach that officials said exposed about 40 million shoppers' card information.

Attorney General Dustin McDaniel said Thursday he is joining other state attorneys general who have initiated similar investigations into the number of state residents whose information was compromised.

"My office is actively investigating the cause of this breach and its impact on consumers in Arkansas," McDaniel said. "We want to know exactly how many individual Arkansans are at risk."

Target officials said Dec. 19 that hackers had stolen information from customers who had made credit or debit card purchases at its U.S. stores beginning Thanksgiving weekend, between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15.

The stolen data includes the cardholders' name, account number and the card's expiration date, according to the attorney general's office.

"No Social Security numbers have been compromised," McDaniel's office said.

McDaniel encouraged Arkansans to regularly review their bank and credit card statements and to immediately report to their account provider of any unusual activity.