Risk ‘not over’ in Dixons hack
Warning as firm admit 10m hit by attack IN BRIEF
BY SIMON READ THE 10million customers hit by a shocking data breach at Dixons Carphone are still greatly at risk of being targeted by online crooks, experts have warned.
And they blasted the electronics retailers after they revealed the number of records hacked last year was nine million higher than they first admitted.
Last month, the firm also admitted they had discovered attempts to access 5.9million credit cards in one of their processing systems for Currys PC World and Dixons Travel stores.
Alex Baldock, Dixons Carphone boss, was quick to try to downplay the hacking attack in which names, addresses and emails may have been accessed. He said: “These records do not contain payment card or bank account details and there is no evidence of fraud.”
But Alex Neill of Which? warned customers should be on guard and should “consider changing online passwords, monitor bank and other online accounts and be wary of emails regarding the breach as scammers may try to take advantage”.
Hannah Maundrell, of money.co.uk, advised worried Dixons Carphone
Credit cards targeted by cyber crooks
fine for what looks likely to be Britain’s THE company could face a massive The Information Commissioner’s biggest-ever customer data breach. take time the incident is ongoing and we will Office said: “Our investigation into company the meantime, we would expect the to assess this new information. In steps as soon as possible and to take all to alert all those affected in the UK harm to consumers.” necessary to reduce any potential customers to beware of emails from people they didn’t know and calls from anyone claiming to be from Carphone Warehouse, their bank, a credit card company or another business. She said: “Don’t fall for it. Delete emails you weren’t expecting and hang up if you’re called by someone who asks for personal information. Keep a close eye on your credit report, too.” Meanwhile, Baldock came under fire over the scale of the problem. Neill said: “Customers will be asking why it has taken so long for the firm to uncover the extent of its security failure.” Maundrell added: “It just isn’t acceptable that data breaches which happened last year are only just being discovered and addressed.” Boss Baldock responded: “We’ve been working around the clock to put it right.” Oil RBS J Sainsbury SSE Severn Trent Serco Sports Direct Shell Sky Smith & Nephew Smiths WH Stagecoach 255.4 327.0 1250.0 1934.5 101.1 413.5 2671.5 1523.5 1320.5 1925.0 159.6 +1.9 +0.7 -1.0 +21.0 +0.7 +1.1 +24.5 +10.5 -37.5 -16.0 -3.3 ■■WICKES owners Travis Perkins issued a profit warning after consumers tightened their tool belts and cut back on DIY. Sales fell 1.8 per cent to £807million in the six months to June 30. ■■THE poor weather earlier in the year saw house sales fall for builders Taylor Wimpey. Profits dropped 1.8 per cent to £344.3million. The firm have set aside £30million to replace aluminium cladding on sites in light of the Grenfell fire tragedy. ■■BP’s profits climbed to about £2billion in the second quarter, leading to the firm increasing their dividend to shareholders for the first time in four years. The oil giants produced 3.6million barrels of oil per day from April to June. BRITISH Gas lost 262,000 customers in the first half of the year after a 5.5 per cent price hike in April, taking the average annual bill for 4.1million customers to £1161. The firm haven’t ruled out another rise this year. They said they are “keeping the movement of wholesale energy prices and their impact on our cost of supply under review”. Half-year earnings slumped 20 per cent to £358million.
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