Trying to get whole with its 110 million customers after the holiday data security breach, Target is offering one year of free credit monitoring ($191 value) to all US Target store shoppers. The credit checking company chosen for this massive freebie is the world’s biggest — Experian (more specifically, its ProtectMyID® product, which btw also sells identity theft insurance). You would think the headquarters of Experian (in Dublin, Ireland) would be celebrating the gig, but The Financial Times just revealed that Experian Chairman Sir John Peace (also chairman of Burberry) will be replaced by CEO Don Robert (an American). While moving a chief executive into the chairman’s role is not unusual in the US, it is rare in the UK.
Will this executive shift affect your free credit monitoring? Probably not. But if you want another free financial tip: consider investing in Experian (EXPN: London). Due to sales of fraud prevention products like ProtectMyID, Experian’s “Decision Analytics” business saw a 16 percent increase in revenue in Q3. Experian, apparently, doesn’t want you to be a target.
