Target says Canadian shoppers may have been among those affected by holiday-season data breach but believes only personal information was stolen, not payment data for debit, credit cards

Cindy Allen

TORONTO , January 21, 2014 (Canadian Press DataFile) – Target says cross-border shoppers may have been impacted by the massive credit and debit card security breach at the retailer over the holiday season.

The Minneapolis-based company says that some Canadians had their names and contact information stolen when they shopped at U.S. stores between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15.

But the company says unlike its U.S. customers, it believes only personal information was stolen, not payment data for their debit and credit cards.

Target sent an email to some Canadian customers on Monday saying that the stolen information could include a person's name, address, email or phone number.

Spokeswoman Lisa Gibson says the email was only sent to shoppers who Target believes could have had information taken.

The security breach is believed to have involved 40 million credit and debit card accounts and the personal information of 70 million customers.

"Target Canada stores were not impacted by the payment card breach," president and CEO Gregg Steinhafel said in the message

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