Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs - TJX Computer Hacking Puts Thousands of Consumers at Risk of ID Theft

TJX Computer Hacking Puts Thousands of Consumers at Risk of ID Theft

Friday, February 9, 2007

Contact: Bill Cloud

TJX Companies, owner of retail chains TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods and A.J. Wright stores, recently discovered that their computers had been hacked, and that information pertaining to customer credit cards, debit cards, checks and merchandise returns had been compromised. The investigation is still on-going, and the company is not sure who the perpetrator was or how many customers may have been victimized as a result.

Most of the data stolen consisted of credit and debit card numbers and expiration dates from sales transactions made during 2003 and from May-December 2006. TJX has provided those account numbers to the pertinent banks and credit card companies.

The company also identified a small number of customers, primarily those who returned merchandise without a receipt, whose names, addresses and driver’s license numbers were compromised in the breach. TJX has informed those customers directly in writing.

Any consumers who are concerned that they may have been affected by this incident can call a special toll-free helpline that TJX has established at 1-866-484-6978 or visit their web site for more information.

On January 29, 2007, the law firms of Berger & Montague, PC and Stern Shapiro Weissberg & Garin, LLP filed a class action suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts on behalf of all consumers in the United States who had personal and financial data stolen from the computer network of TJX Companies, Inc. and who were damaged thereby.

The Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA) advises anyone who suspects they might be the victim of identify theft to take the following measures:

Order a credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus. Toll-free numbers are: Equifax 800-525-6285, Experian 888-397-3742 and Trans Union 800-680-7289. (Note: Georgians are entitled to three free credit reports per year from each credit agency.)

Check with your bank and credit card issuers to see if there has been any unusual activity on your accounts, such as unauthorized charges, a change-of-address request or a request for additional or replacement cards. If so, instruct the financial institution not to honor any requests regarding your account without written authorization. Ask them to cancel your debit and/or credit card and provide a replacement card with a new account number.

Contact one of the three major credit bureaus and request that a fraud alert be placed in your file. After your report is confirmed, that agency will automatically notify the other two credit-reporting agencies.

If fraudulent activity is discovered, file a police report and send a copy to creditors or anyone else who needs proof of the crime.

To learn more about identity theft, visit the OCA web site.

For additional information, please contact the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs.

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