Customers of O2 Receive Phishing Emails but Company Denies Breach

Itproportal.com reported on 4th February, 2015 stating O2's patrons suspected that their mobile operator might have been undergone a massive security breach as they have started receiving well-designed phishing emails in their inboxes.

The customers claim that the electronic mails included their email address, name, date of birth along with various details about data plans of users and monthly payments.

The emails were in reference to VAT but O2 shifted the blame on its subscribers.

Itproportal.com reported on 4th February, 2015 quoting an user of O2 as saying "O2 are claiming that it is a phishing email and no information has been compromised which appears rather strange because there is no means that quantity of information could or should be publicly accessible. I suspect a very serious data breach in O2."

However, O2 on the other hand, denied any breach of their system.

Itproportal.com reported on 4th February, 2015 quoting a statement issued by O2 as "We probed this phishing scam and discovered no proof of leaking any customer information from O2. We believe scammers collected the data from other resources in trying to make phishing emails look extremely authentic. Sources of data can include: hijacking of a computer/laptop of the user (example via the unintentional loading of keyloggers/other malware). Scammers then used this information in the phishing emails to make it look that it has been sent from the originator as it seems to contain correct information of the user."

TheRegister website said that O2 had not contacted Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) which is UK's watchdog of data about the phishing scam till then.

However, the company said later that although there is no evidence of leakage of information from O2, it informed the ICO out of courtesy.

TheRegister published news on 4th February, 2015 quoting ICO as "We have not received a report from O2 about this issue nor we have received any complaints for their customers."

ICO added that if a person got any doubt about handling of their data by O2, we would advise him/her to raise concern with O2 in the first place and if he/she is not satisfied with the response of the organization then one can lodge complaint to our office.

» SPAMfighter News - 2/12/2015