Q&A Protecting yourself against hackers and scammers

Q How do I know if my details have been taken?

A The personal details of millions of Three customers in the UK may have been accessed by cyber-criminals. The information was contained on Three’s upgrade database, which stores the names, phone numbers, addresses and date of birth of people who use the network.

Three has not yet confirmed how many customers may be at risk, but the company has advised concerned customers to call 333 on a Three mobile phone or 0333 338 1001 from another phone to get more information about the breach and whether their details may have been accessed. Q Can they access my bank details?

A Three has said that the compromised database didn’t contain any financial information, including bank or credit card details.

But scam callers can use basic personal information to convince customers that they are calling from a legitimate business like a bank or phone company, requesting bank account numbers and other details. Do not give out bank details over the phone and if you are concerned about the source of a call or email, contact the company directly.

Three customers may want to contact their bank so that they can monitor for suspicious behaviour or calls from someone claiming to be them. Q What risk am I at?

A The data available to the cyber criminals is thought to have included phone numbers and email addresses, which can both be used to scam victims out of more information including financial details and money.

Scammers could use the details to send fake emails and text messages that look real, called phishing attacks, to unsuspecting Three customers requesting credit card details. If customers enter their bank details or give out the information over the phone they could be at risk of fraud.

A real example of a phishing attack that affected thousands of UK citizens last year came in the form of fake messages from what appeared to be HM Revenue and Customs. One such message said: “You have a refund of 183.69 GBP and you can