TJ Maxx security breach

[LetsgoDisney!]

I just saw this on MSNBC's homepage a few minutes ago.

T.J. Maxx data theft worse than first reported

More than two months after first disclosing that hackers accessed customers' financial data from its computers, discount retailer TJX Cos. has revealed that information from at least 45.7 million credit and debit cards was stolen over an 18-month period.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17853440/from/ET/



It's getting so scary now to use a credit card- and I do a lot of online shopping- I guess another reason (other than my budget) to pay cash-
Hope none of my DIS friends are affected by this-
Donna

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

Yikes! We just got a letter in the mail from our bank telling us that my husband's Debit/ATM Card had "potenitally" been "compromised" - they cancelled his card and issued him a new one - he had to pick a new pin as well.

 

[tedhowe]

I agree that the TJX debacle is scary... this is exactly why the Credit card companies are pushing to improve the security of retailers' systems. (reference the thread from the other day about CC fraud at restaurants).

One thing I'd like to point out, though, regarding the recent thread about Credit vs. Debit card use... if someone steals your credit card and runs up charges, then all you have to do is dispute the charges with the CC company and you don't have to pay them (at least until an investigation shows whether they are fraudulent or not).

If someone steals your Debit card number and uses it for credit card purchases, the money is GONE from your checking/savings account and you most likely will not get it back until/unless it can be proven that the charges were the result of fraud... you could have a serious shortage of cash while that investigation is ongoing.

It's another reason why I never use my debit card at any retailer - it is for the ATM and cash withdrawal/deposit purposes only.

I'm against credit card debt, but not credit cards themselves.

Ted

 

[Disneydreaming6]

I use my debit card all the time. I had fraud on one of them, I went to the bank signed an affidavit and the money was back in my acct that day. Yes, sometimes it does take a little longer to get the funds back. but you are protected against fraud with your debit card. Banks can give you a temp credit while they research the fraud. if they find that it was not fraud, or the merchant refunds the money to the customer, then the bank takes the money given for the temp credit back.

 

[tedhowe]

I use my debit card all the time. I had fraud on one of them, I went to the bank signed an affidavit and the money was back in my acct that day. Yes, sometimes it does take a little longer to get the funds back. but you are protected against fraud with your debit card. Banks can give you a temp credit while they research the fraud. if they find that it was not fraud, or the merchant refunds the money to the customer, then the bank takes the money given for the temp credit back.

That's good to hear. I wonder how widespread that practice is.

Hopefully it is becoming standard.

Did the fraud cause you to have any bounced checks? I wonder what the bank does about the NSF fees in that case.

 

[kellia]

Oh, man, we had both our debit/visa cards reissued because of the LAST time, I finally got everything that was automatically taken out set up again. If we have to do it again, I'm gonna be really ticked off!! I never even shop at those stores, just did once while we were returning one of the many gifts from my MIL from Christmas....

 

[LetsgoDisney!]

The whole thing is just getting so scary- people steal your signature off checks so you can't mail things from your house anymore, can't use debit card cause they steal your money from your account and cause a bunch of grief and steal your credit card info and mess with your credit for years- It's just such a shame!

 

[kellia]

The whole thing is just getting so scary- people steal your signature off checks so you can't mail things from your house anymore, can't use debit card cause they steal your money from your account and cause a bunch of grief and steal your credit card info and mess with your credit for years- It's just such a shame!

Don't you just wish these people would use their "ingenuity" for good instead of bad??

 

[jillyjoey]

Don't you just wish these people would use their "ingenuity" for good instead of bad??

Most definitely!

I just want to add that yesterday, I was getting my oil changed at my dealership. I went to pay with my debit card. They tried it 3 times and it was DECLINED. I'm not only embarassed but scared poo-less that someone took all my money out of the bank. Well, I immediately call FirstTennessee and they tell me that they cancelled my card because of the TJMaxx security breach and were reissuing all new cards -- but that I should have rec'd mine already. I hadn't. I was like -- don't you think you should have told your customers that you were going to deactivate the debit cards? I honestly had not used mine for at least 3 weeks -- now I am scared that someone took the new card out of my mailbox!

On another note -- 2 years ago we had someone attempting to get a credit card using our names (we think it was DH's mother but that's another whole topic)... anyhow -- I immediately called Equifax to report the activity -- the very nice man whom I talked to did inform me that it was safer to pay bills over the internet than to put your bills in your mailbox. Well, that answer took me for a loop -- I would have thought the other way. Almost all my bills are automatic withdrawal (except for gas & electric - but I drop them off) - so I feel just a tad bit better. I guess we should all go back to using cash -- it would be a pain in the rear for me though.

People are creeps.