US-based retailer Target Corp is now the target of customer lawsuits, angry comments at social media platforms and investigations from state attorneys general due to the massive data breach affecting its customers, the Los Angeles Times reported. It has already been a rough year for retail and with consumers curtailing their spending, the debacle is fast turning into a nightmare, the report said.

One of the largest retailers in the US is now facing accusations that it took too long in announcing that its system had been compromised which put the credit and debit card accounts of its 40 million customers at risk. The company only disclosed Thursday, December 19 that its systems had been hacked when the attack occurring from November 27 to December 15.

Potential victims are now saying that they are having difficulties reaching the customer service department of the retailer through its websites and call centers and took to social media to vent their frustration. One of them is Bekah Sims Andrews who said on Facebook that she waited for 48 minutes on hold hoping to talk to a Target associate but was booted off the call instead.

Target said the delays were due to higher volume of calls to its call centers and apologized to their customers, the report said.

Meanwhile, Jennifer Kirk, a customer in California filed a lawsuit against Target. She alleged that the store "failed to implement and maintain reasonable security procedures and practices appropriate to the nature and scope of the information compromised in the data breach."

Another customer lawsuit was also filed by Colleen Klein accusing the retailer of misrepresenting and concealing its substandard security practices.

Four state attorneys general are also monitoring the retailer. One of them, Atty. Gen. George Jepsen of Connecticut, has already sent a letter to Target asking for more information on the attack, the report said.