MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.—Target has become the first major credit card issuer to go with EMV cards that contain a PIN.
The retailer began notifying credit card customers earlier this month that the new cards are coming.
"By requiring a PIN, customers are benefitting from an additional layer of security to help protect against someone using their card if it's lost or stolen," Target spokesperson Molly Snyder told Cleveland.com.
The move comes at a time when many retailers and card issuers have converted POS and plastic to EMV, largely due to the Oct. 1 liability shift deadline. Most issuers have opted for chip and signature, and most POS terminals are set up for that same method, not chip and PIN. It also comes from a company well aware of the cost of a data breach.
For now, consumers using the Target credit card will need a PIN to use it in a Target store. The company has not stated whether consumers will be able to use the new plastic in other stores or restaurants without a PIN.