MasterCard applauds the Government of Canada for passing identity theft
legislation

TORONTO , Oct. 27 /CNW/ - MasterCard Canada congratulates the Government of Canada on the passage of urgently required identity theft legislation that will combat perpetrators of identity theft.

Bill S-4, An Act to Amend the Criminal Code (identity theft and related misconduct) received royal assent on Oct. 21, 2009 .

"We congratulate Minister of Justice Rob Nicholson for his innovative approach to addressing identity theft," said Kevin Stanton , President, MasterCard Canada . "Identity theft is a very specific, sophisticated type of crime. Its prevention and detection require the active engagement of many players, including the payments industry, retailers, government, law enforcement and the public. The passage of this bill will play a key role in deterring criminals from pursuing this type of crime."

MasterCard advances commerce worldwide by developing more secure, convenient and rewarding payment solutions. One of the most recent significant developments in this area is the chip card, which provides greater security in electronic transactions.

MasterCard is a global leader in chip implementation and has led the introduction of chip technology in Europe and Asia and now Canada . Upgrading Canadian credit and debit cards to chip protects the Canadian market from global fraud migration as chip rolls out in other countries.

About MasterCard Worldwide

MasterCard Worldwide advances global commerce by providing a critical economic link among financial institutions, businesses, cardholders and merchants worldwide. As a franchisor, processor and advisor, MasterCard develops and markets payment solutions, processes approximately 21 billion transactions each year, and provides industry-leading analysis and consulting services to financial institution customers and merchants. Through its family of brands, including MasterCard(R), Maestro(R) and Cirrus(R), MasterCard serves consumers and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. For more information go to www.mastercard.com.

For further information: Jennifer Reed, MasterCard Canada, [phone], [email protected]