JD Sports cyberattack: Customers warned to watch out for scams

A consumer champion has urged JD Sports customers to be wary of unexpected phone calls, emails, and fake customer support messages from the retailer following news of a data breach. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The sports fashion retailer has warned that stored data relating to ten million customers may be at risk after a cyberattack. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

According to the company, the intruders broke into its system that contained customer data but no payment information was among the stolen data. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The intrusion, which took place between November 2018 and October 2020, related to the infrastructure that housed data for online orders from sub-brands including JD, Size? Millets, Blacks, Scotts and MilletSport. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The data accessed included customer names, billing and delivery addresses, phone numbers, order details, and the final four digits of payment cards of approximately 10 million unique customers. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Lisa Barber, Computing Editor, at consumer champion Which? Warned JD Sports customers to be wary of unexpected phone calls, emails, and fake customer support messages that might pop up on social media regarding the breach, as scammers might try to take advantage of the situation. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

She also advised customers to keep a close eye on their bank accounts and credit reports. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Businesses must continuously invest in data protection to keep their customers safe from cybercriminals,” Barber said. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

JD Sports has assured customers that it does not hold full payment card details and that there is no reason to believe that account passwords were accessed. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

It has contacted relevant authorities such as the Information Commissioner’s Office and has enlisted the help of leading cyber security experts to investigate the breach. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Neil Greenhalgh, chief financial officer at JD Sports. said: “We want to apologise to those customers who may have been affected by this incident.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“We are advising them to be vigilant about potential scam emails, calls and texts and providing details on now to report these.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

He added: “We are continuing with a full review of our cyber security in partnership with external specialists following this incident.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Protecting that data of our customers is an absolute priority for JD sports.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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