Why retailers aren't protecting you from hackers

News headlines have dripped recently with stories about hackers stealing millions of shoppers’ personal data from major retailers when customers swipe their credit and debit cards. You would think such an egregious breach would spur businesses to double down on protecting their customers’ info to keep their trust, and their business. You’d be wrong.
 
Retailers have more incentive to continue collecting your personal data than to protect it, according to a report by CNNMoney. By gathering your personal information and using it for marketing purposes, retailers can make up to 60 percent more money off of you than if they work to safeguard your card.
 
Retailers and banks blame the cost and inconvenience of switching to more secure systems for taking a wait-and-see-who-blinks-first approach, according to analysts. The report says hackers have noticed, and now more frequently target retailers, instead of banks, because it’s easier to fraudulently lift personal data from swipes at the checkout counter.

Read more from CNNMoney.