Category: Data Breach Compensation
Customers notified of Fat Face data breach
Fashion retailer Fat Face has recently released an email to customers which has brought a data breach from earlier this year to the public’s attention. It is routine for companies to notify customers of data protection breaches, but this email comes a long time after the Fat Face data breach occurred, and reportedly included a request that customers keep the details of the breach private.
It has also been claimed that Fat Face has paid a ransom to a cybercrime gang after data breach occurred in January, but this allegation has yet to be confirmed by Fat Face itself or by ICO investigators.
Nevertheless, it is worrying that customers remained unaware of the breach for over two months, as it may mean that they may not have been vigilantly monitoring potential security risks or data misuse. If it emerges that Fat Face can be held liable for the breach, those who were notified of their involvement in the data breach may be eligible to claim compensation.
Birmingham City Council data breach
Following an error by council staff, the Birmingham City Council data breach has reportedly exposed the private details of residents, potentially including those of vulnerable children.
We understand that the breach arose as a result of the accidental publication of private information to a site that was freely accessible to members of the public.
Though the council has stated that the mistake was corrected quickly, it is nevertheless true that the victims’ data could have reached the hands of malicious people. Any situation in which personal data is exposed in this way should be treated seriously and, in many cases, it may be possible for those affected to claim compensation. It can also be possible to represent victims for a legal case on a No Win, No Fee basis.
SITA data breach affects hundreds of thousands of passengers worldwide
In late February, the SITA data breach was revealed as a powerful cyberattack, which comprised of a server holding information relating to hundreds of thousands of air passengers.
Labelled as “highly sophisticated” by the company, it is understood that the wide-reaching cyberattack has not affected “highly sensitive” data, but it nevertheless demonstrates that IT systems can be severely vulnerable as hackers continue to enhance and advance their methods.
In fact, it has long been apparent that travel companies are often vulnerable to cyberattacks. They hold a wealth of sensitive data about their customers, including passport details and payment card information. A such, airlines and hotel chains can be a prime target for hackers. British Airways, which is understood to be implicated in the SITA data breach, succumbed to two major data breaches in 2018, for which we are currently representing claimants in a group action.
British Airways group action deadline – do not miss your chance to claim!
The British Airways group action deadline has received a short extension to summer 2020, which may mark the final end as to when people can sign-up for a legal case and take part in the GLO.
The first BA data breach emerged almost three whole years ago in 2018, and The Group Action Lawyers has been taking on claims for almost as long. However, there are still thousands of customers who have still not made their claim yet.
If all 400,000 victims claim, they could be sharing a total compensation pay-out of up to an estimated £2.4 billion, according to current estimations based on case law and settled claims information. All you should need to claim is proof that BA notified you of your involvement in one of their two data breaches in 2018, so do not hesitate to register on the BA Group Action site here if you think you are eligible.
Join the Virgin Media data breach class action
The Virgin Media data breach class action has been in progress for almost a year now as we continue to take on clients affected by the data breach that came to light in March last year.
Up to 900,000 victims, all of whom had their personal data exposed by failings in the company’s data protection policies, could be eligible to claim compensation.
If you were notified by Virgin Media of your involvement in the breach, head to the Virgin Media group action site to start your claim now. The negligence of Virgin Media should not go unpunished. At The Group Action Lawyers, we know all too well how the collective force of a group action can be powerful in holding companies to account.
Claim for the Transform Hospital Group data breach
For clients of the Transform Hospital Group, 2020 ended with the distressing news that their private data had been exposed in a malicious ransomware attack.
As a plastic surgery chain, the group holds extremely sensitive information about their patients, including surgery photos known as “before and after” images. It is understood that such photos are the subject of the ransomware attack, with some 500 gigabytes of it being held.
The affected customers may now be living in constant fear of their sensitive information being published online, as well as their details being misused in order to commit fraud or identity theft. With such sensitive information at risk, customers are, unsurprisingly, very distressed by the prospect of targeted exposure and humiliation. At the Group Action Lawyers, we have already begun taking on claimants, and we foresee that a group action may be brought if more claims are made, allowing us to launch a collective fight for justice.
British Airways data breach settlement may be on the horizon
Given recent development in the action, we believe that a British Airways data breach settlement could be imminent. The latest development in the British Airways group action has seen the airline notify the court of their intentions to seek negotiations to resolve the cases, a move which could prompt an out-of-court settlement of as much as £2.4 million if all victims join the action.
The update comes as pressure is ramped up on BA, and marks a significant change of approach as the airline previously seemed to be set on defending the claims all the way.
We believe that a settlement could bring significant compensation to registered claimants, helping to draw the long legal case to a successful close. The victims have been waiting since 2018, so we welcome the approach of a compensation pay-out. However, time is running out – we urge all victims to join the action if they haven’t already, as the deadline is fast approaching.
People’s Energy data breach – compensation advice
The People’s Energy data breach is one the latest large-scale breach cases to reach the headlines, reportedly affecting all 270,000 customers who entrusted their personal details to the company.
Among the details exposed were full names, dates of birth, addresses, and phone numbers, as well as the customer-specific tariff and energy meter IDs for some. Furthermore, the breach has adversely impacted small business customers of the energy provider, whose financial details were also understood to have been accessed in the hack.
Although the computer systems involved in the breach were shut down as soon as the problem became apparent, the small window of opportunity may have been enough for the hackers to obtain details that could serve as powerful tools in data misuse. We have taken cases forward, and we may be able to help you too if you are based in England or Wales.
What next for regulators after the BA cyberattack fine?
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) announced that the BA cyberattack fine will be issued at just £20 million following their 2018 data breach.
This came as a shock to many after the ICO announced an intention to issue a fine in the sum of £183 million last year, with the final fine involving a reduction of 90%.
It is thought that the BA fine was reduced so significantly due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The aviation industry in general has seen huge losses in flight and customer numbers as a result of lockdowns in various countries. The ICO appears to have taken this into consideration when issuing the fine, but many believe it is still an insignificant amount to the global airline and that it will not have the desired effect. The big question now is how this could shape regulations and fines in the future, as there is a cause for concern here.
Millions of customer records exposed in Prestige Software data breach
The Prestige Software data breach has led to the potential exposure of the details for millions of guest records in an online cloud database breach.
Prestige Software is reportedly one of the largest online services for hotels, operating a management system that automates bookings for companies that include Booking.com, Expedia, and Hotels.com. It transpires that guest records have been stored in an open online cloud database that can be easily accessible to the public.
If your data has been exposed as part of a data breach, you could be eligible to make a data breach compensation claim with us. We have years of experience in data breach law and currently represent claimants across over 50 multi-party and group action claims. Get in touch today to begin your claim here. read more