CNN Blames the Victim in Data Theft

     Crime victims can’t catch a break. “American Morning” anchor Soledad O’Brien accused TJX Cos., the parent of T.J. Maxx and Marshalls, of dishonesty in the March 30 broadcast after the company had suffered a massive data theft.

     “None of these companies are ever forthcoming about it,” O’Brien declared, blasting not just TJX but many others. “You always have to uncover it, investigate it, dig and dig and dig and then eventually they come up with a number which is probably a little on the low side.”

     O’Brien was referring to credit card numbers and other information stolen by hackers that was reported on March 28 by TJX to be 45.7 million credit and debit card numbers over an 18-month period, according to Forbes. Nearly 500,000 customers had data stolen, according to the segment.

     The CNN anchor and “Minding Your Business” reporter Stephanie Elam both complained about the length of time it took for TJX to disclose the number of people who were affected by the security breach.

     “We first heard about this in December,” said Elam, “but they didn’t really tell us until yesterday exactly what was going on.”

     Neither considered it possible that TJX didn’t know exactly what was going on until they filed this week with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

     According to [1]Forbes.com, TJX became aware of suspicious software on Dec. 18, 2006, hired General Dynamics to investigate on Dec. 19, 2006 and notified federal authorities by Dec. 22, 2006.

     O’Brien and Elam were content to blame TJX, but had no harsh words for the [2]six people already charged with stealing those numbers from the company.