Risk of Fraud Affecting Credit Card Users

News Release

OTTAWA, January 19, 2007 The
Financial Consumer
Agency of Canada (FCAC) is today advising all Canadian credit card holders, and
specifically those who have made purchases at Winners or HomeSense between
December
2006 and January 17, 2007, to verify and monitor all financial transactions
charged
to their credit card accounts.

FCAC's advice follows a January 17th announcement by TJX Companies
Incorporated
that it had suffered an unauthorized intrusion into its computer systems that
process
and store information related to customer transactions. TJX is the parent
company for Winners and HomeSense. The stolen information could be used to defraud
consumers by making unauthorized purchases with cardholders' credit card
numbers.
FCAC recommends consumers:
verify the latest transactions on their credit card account either online,
in-person or over the phone with their financial institution;
pay special attention to their regular credit card statements, including past
statements;
report any suspicious charges to their card issuer immediately,
using the telephone number listed on the back of their card; and
request a copy of their credit report to verify that they have not been the
victim of fraud. More information about how to get a free copy of your
credit report can be found in FCAC's publication Understanding
Your Credit Report and Credit Score. Understanding Your
Credit Report and Credit Score is available on
FCAC's
Web site (www.fcac.gc.ca) in the Publications section, or
consumers
can request a free copy by calling the Agency.
In accordance with the companies' respective "zero-liability" policies,
MasterCard and Visa customers affected by the breach should not face any financial
losses in the event of fraud.

FCAC oversees public commitments made by federally regulated financial
institutions
and is responsible for enforcing federal laws that protect consumers in their
dealings
with banks and federally regulated trust, loan and insurance companies. If you
have been the victim of fraud and are being held liable, or for more information
on your rights and responsibilities, please contact FCAC toll-free at:
1-866-461-3222.
For more information on how to avoid, detect and resolve credit card fraud,
please
see the Playing it Safe booklet
in the publications section of FCAC's Web site.
- 30 -
Media Contacts:

John Kane
Martine Bélanger

Manager, External Communications
Communications Officer

(613) 941-8988
(613) 941-8982

kane.john@fcac.gc.ca
belanger.martine@fcac.gc.ca

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Risk of Fraud Affecting Credit Card Users

News Release

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