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If you've shopped at TK Maxx since December 2002, your credit or debit card data could have been stolen in the world's biggest hacker attack.

At least 45.7 million payment cards have been compromised and criminals could be using the account information to run up debts in the names of millions of innocent people.

If you think you may be at risk, there are some simple precautions you should take as soon as possible.

Check your credit and debit card statements
Look out for suspicious transactions that have taken place at stores, web sites or places you've never visited and for items you've never bought. If you find anything, contact your bank or card issuer immediately and give them full details.

You should close any card account that you believe has been compromised - but remember that you will have to wait for a new card to be issued, so discuss with your bank how you will get access to your money or credit in the meantime.

Get a copy of your credit report
Your card data could be enough for a criminal to get further credit in your name, such as credit and store cards, loans, mortgages and even mobile phone accounts. Your credit report lists all your credit accounts and the searches that lenders have made in response to applications for credit, so you'll easily be able to see if you have been a victim of fraud.

You can see your Experian credit report for free, with a 30-day trial of CreditExpert, the online credit monitoring and identity protection service. It allows you to check your credit report as often as you like - you should check it regularly, to ensure that everything is as it should be.
Click here for your free credit report.

Watch out for hoax calls and e-mails
Criminals often take advantage of the scare caused by this kind of incident to try to get personal information – whether the people they target have been affected or not. Never give out personal information, such as your date of birth, bank or card account numbers or NI number to cold callers or e-mailers you do not know.

Your credit card details can be used by a fraudster to get access to online services as it's a means of authenticating you so monitor any suspicious e-mails that you don't recognise. Do not visit web sites they may direct you to.