TalkTalk data breach places millions of customers at risk of fraud

TalkTalk has suffered a massive data breach that could affect up to 4 million of its UK-based customers.

The ISP has blamed the security snafu on a third party that it says had legitimate access to its customer database.

In a statement, TalkTalk says that criminals managed to get hold of names, home addresses, phone numbers and TalkTalk account numbers of some of its customers. No other sensitive data (date of birth, bank or credit card details was apparently accessed.

There have however been confirmed cases where scammers have been able to use those four pieces of information to siphon thousands out of unsuspecting customers who believed they were talking to genuine TalkTalk employees.

Suspicious minds

TalkTalk was careful to avoid using the word "hack" in its correspondence, instead blaming malicious individuals who, the Guardian believe, might have targeted TalkTalk's Indian call centres. Some analysts suspect that other utility providers and ISPs might also be the tempting targets.

More than half of respondents in a recent Financial Fraud Action UK survey (PDF) said that they had received suspect calls, up 40% on the previous year.

• Source: Guardian

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