Home Depot data breach hits home for Jacksonville man

Man says he received bill for nearly $900 for items he never purchased

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It's been months, but victims are still feeling the effects of the Home Deport security breach. 

The breach in September included a potential loss of 56 million credit card numbers, and some of those card holders live in Jacksonville. 

One local man received an $879 bill for items he says he never purchased.
 
Gordon Kistler had a Home Depot credit card for a couple of years and said until the breach, he never had any issues.

"I didn't know anything until I got this bill and called Home Depot and inquired," Kistler said.
 
Kistler just got the bill in the mail a couple of days ago and said there were a few red flags. He said he hasn't used the card in months and never bought kitchen appliances with his card.

Another surprise was that the charges came from a Home Depot in New York on Jan. 9. Kistler said he hasn't been to New York in years.
 
"Someone up there in College Point is running up charges on a credit card," Kistler said. "It's just crazy."
 
Kistler said another red flag was that his credit limit was $700 but the charge was for more than that, so it shouldn't have cleared.
 
"They told me they would send an affidavit in the mail to sign and I've had them since close out the account so no one else can use it," Kistler said.
 
News4Jax crime and safety analyst Gil Smith said what happened to Kistler is an example of why it's so important for card users to check balances regularly for false claims.
 
"Some people not using their card, they put it in a drawer and think there is nothing going on there," Smith said. "There could still be activity going on as long as the account is open, so even if you're not using the card, at least once a month check it online and (also) when the statement comes in."

Right now Home Depot faces more than 50 lawsuits from banks and consumers due to last year's data breach.  The lawsuits contend that Home Depot officials knew the company was unprepared to deal with cyberthreats. 

Home Depot credit card users or those who have used a credit card with Home Depot since April 2014 should be sure to check their bills closely to avoid charges they didn't make.

Home Depot offers a free credit check for victims. For more information on that, go to https://corporate.homedepot.com/mediacenter/pages/statement1.aspx.