Trend Micro cautions Canadians: chip and pin credit cards not as safe in the US as they are at home

Five steps to ensure your credit card info is safe during March Break

OTTAWA, March 4, 2014 /CNW/ - Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704) cautions Canadians against thinking their credit cards are safe when shopping in the U.S. simply because cards issued in Canada incorporate "chip and pin" technology. Canadian credit card holders are only better protected than their American counterparts when shopping in Canada because the technology to read chip and pin cards is not yet in place for Stateside retailers.

"With multiple retailers, including Target, Neiman Marcus, Michaels, and White Lodging with hotel franchises under the Hilton, Marriott, Sheraton and Weston brands, all affected by recent breaches, it makes sense for travelling Canadians to be proactive about credit card security," said Christopher Budd, Trend Micro Threat Communications Manager.

Here are five specific steps Canadians can take to further protect personal information, particularly if heading south:

1. Review credit card statements regularly. Because some of these charges appear to have occurred months ago, it's also a good idea to review 2013 statements as well. Most credit card companies limit the length of time that charges can be disputed to six months, so don't rely on an annual review.
2. Alert your credit card company if any suspicious activity is suspected.
3. Consider getting credit monitoring and identify theft protection to provide real-time monitoring for any fraudulent, unauthorized or unusual activity.
4. Keep your operating system and applications on computers and mobile devices fully up-to-date with the latest patches and updates.
5. Run a mature, multi-layered security suite, like Trend Micro Titanium to scan for and remove any malware, and to help ensure you don't visit malicious websites, or download malicious files that might ultimately result in the theft of private information, and unwanted credit card purchases.

More information on recent retail data breaches can be found on the Trend Micro blog.

Trend Micro Incorporated, a global leader in security software, rated number one in server security (IDC, 2013), strives to make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Trend Micro enables the smart protection of information, with innovative security technology that is simple to deploy and manage, and fits an evolving ecosystem. All of our solutions are powered by cloud-based global, the Trend Micro™ Smart Protection Network™ infrastructure, and are supported by over 1,200 threat experts around the globe.  For more information, visit TrendMicro.com.

SOURCE: Trend Micro Canada

Media contact: Claire M. Tallarico 416 616 9940 or [email protected]