Attention TJ Maxx and Marshall's Shoppers!

If you made purchases or returned items at TJX Cos. such as T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, A.J. Wright, Winners and HomeSense, you may be entitled to compensation.

Notices are just now beginning to go out to millions of customers who may have been affected by the largest data breach in history. Last year, TJX disclosed that information from nearly 46 million debit and credit cards was stolen by hackers, and that nearly a half million people who returned items without their receipts may have had personal data (such as driver's license numbers) stolen. Court filings by banks that are suing TJX indicate a much bigger breach, saying that more than 100 million cards may have been compromised.

The breach is believed to have begun in mid-2005 but wasn't detected until December 2006. The stolen information covers transactions dating as far back as December 2002.

Customers who believe their personal financial data was stolen or put at risk, and believe they were harmed, can join the class action lawsuit. They can send in a claim form to ask for benefits if they are eligble, ask to be excluded from the settlement (if they provide notice by June 24) or object to the terms.

Terms of the proposed settlement

TJX will offer vouchers to customers who show they shopped at TJX stores in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico — except Bob's Stores — during the breach and incurred costs.

TJX also will provide three years of credit monitoring and identity theft insurance to certain customers who returned merchandise without a receipt and were sent letters notifying them that their driver's license or other identification information may have been compromised.

For more information, call toll-free to 1-866-523-6770 or visit http://www.tjxsettlement.com/.