Do You Shop at TJ Maxx? Marshalls? You May Need a New Credit/Debit Card

[NashVegas]

This one slipped beneath the radar, apparently, but TJ Maxx' database was hacked last year. My bank sent me a new debit card in January, but I didn't activate it until a week ago. They just called me to check in.

TJX Data Breach Bigger than Earlier Estimates

February 22, 2007

The security breach involving customer data held by TJX Companies, Inc. now appears much worse than originally reported, beginning as much as 10 months earlier, according to the company's latest statement.

TJX now says that the breach, originally thought to have taken place in May 2006, actually first occurred in July 2005, and was the first of several breaches throughout 2005.

TJX confirmed that shoppers in the U.K. and Ireland were also affected, in addition to customers of TJX-owned stores such as Marshall's and T.J. Maxx in the U.S., and Winners and Home Sense in Canada.

TJX also reported evidence of hacks into credit and debit card transactions in the U.S. and Puerto Rico from January 2003 through June 2004, as well as credit card transactions in Canada during the same time period.

The company did not say whether the different breaches were linked or caused by separate groups. TJX has also not disclosed the total number of customers affected by any of the breaches, though other sources have claimed it may be as high as 40 million.

[Error]

1. Whose radar did this slip below?

it's been news all over the place for a couple of months.

[liberal hypnotist]

2. Slipped under mine.

Thanks for the heads up. I've made a few purchases at TJ Max.

[Breeze54]

3. It was all over my local news!

I do and have shopped there but I think I used mostly actual cash.
I can't remember if I did use my Visa.
I think I was issued a new one, with a new number, since then.

My local news said that it went back even further than 2005!
'03 & '04. They just didn't bother telling anyone! :grr:

-----------------------

T.J. Maxx hack exposes consumer data

By Joris Evers
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Published: January 18, 2007, 4:32 AM PST

http://news.com.com/T.J.+Maxx+hack+exposes+consumer+data/2100-1029_3-6151017.html

update TJX, operator of discount chains including T.J. Maxx and Marshalls, on Wednesday
said its computers were hacked, putting shoppers at risk of identity fraud.

Intruders accessed systems used to process and store customer transaction data, Framingham, Mass.
-based TJX said in a statement. The retailer has identified some customer information that was
taken, but the full extent of the data theft and number of affected customers is yet unknown, it said.

"TJX is conducting a full investigation of the intrusion," it said in the statement.
"The company is committed to providing its customers with more information when it becomes available."

The intrusion involves systems that handle credit card, debit card, check and return transactions
for T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods and A.J. Wright stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, and the
Winners and HomeSense stores in Canada, TJX said.

The exposed data covers 2003 and the period from mid-May through December 2006, it said.

It is also possible that transaction data for T.K. Maxx stores in the U.K. and Ireland
and Bob’s Stores in the U.S. was exposed in the breach, TJX said.

More .........

[NashVegas]

4. It Wasn't In My News At All

just for the heck of it I did a search on this forum and LBN. There was one story in LBN and it got no replies. Eeesh.

[Breeze54]

6. Check the

Massachusetts forum. But it may be archived by now.

[madame defarge]

5. Target customers involved too

My credit card bank sent me a new credit card -- unsolicited. I called to ask what was up & was told that the data breach included all TJ Maxx, Marshall's, & Target customers. I realize that these stores are owned by different corporate entities, but somehow the data breach is connected. Either that or VISA fed me a load of crap.

[Breeze54]

7. T.J. Maxx

owns all these stores -- Marshalls, HomeGoods and A.J. Wright stores

I don't know if they own Target.

[kimmerspixelated]

8. Yep, it happened to us.

I bought one thing at TJ Maxx, around Xmas, and then the bank cancelled our cards about a month later. We had to wait for a new one. SOmetimes, you wonder who you can trust.

[NashVegas]

10. I Trust My Bank

They're a small outfit. When I went out of the country and did some shopping they left messages all over the place, back home.

[shanti]

9. so THAT'S why i got a new debit card last month!

my credit union wouldn't tell me exactly why, just that it was "compromised" along with lots of others....

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

11. I replaced both cards as a preventative measure.

[GOPisEvil]

12. Yep. I had to have my debit card replaced last month.

Thankfully my credit union was on top of things.

[madame defarge]

13. If you haven't done this already, I recommend...

signing up to monitor your account online. (Yes, it really is secure enough now.) I check my account at least once a week if not more to see if there are any bogus charges.