TJX Update - reported by The Boston Globe

I wonder where this is going to lead...

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Six people arrested in Florida this week are suspected of using credit-card data stolen from retailer TJX Cos. to buy computers, televisions, and other electronics, Gainesville police said.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said the six individuals apparently used stolen credit-card data to purchase large quantities of gift cards from retailers including Wal-Mart Stores and its Sam's Club unit.

They then used the gift cards to buy electronics, but store employees grew suspicious and contacted police.During the investigation, officials learned the source of the data was from a computer breach first reported by Framingham retailer TJX in December, Gainesville police said today.

The losses to Wal-Mart and the banks that issued the real credit cards totaled more than $8 million. A spokeswoman for TJX, which runs more than 2,500 stores including T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods, would not confirm that the data involved in the Florida case stemmed from the breach. But she said the company continues to cooperate with law-enforcement authorities.

TJX believes hackers broke into the company’s computer system in 2005 and stole millions of customer credit- and debit-data and some license numbers dating back to 2003. Customers across the country have reported fraudulent use in what could be one of the biggest losses of consumer data to date. TJX faces numerous lawsuits from individuals and banks that accuse the company of failing to adequately safeguard private data and of delaying disclosure of the breach.
(By Ross Kerber, Globe staff)