Welcome To The Data Leak Lawyers Blog
We focus on the latest news surrounding data breaches, leaks and hacks plus daily internet security articles.
We focus on the latest news surrounding data breaches, leaks and hacks plus daily internet security articles.
Although data breach claims are becoming an increasingly established and important area of legal expertise, trusted data breach lawyers can still be few and far between.
There are some inexperienced firms trying to capitalise on the trend of data breach cases, claiming to have expertise that they do not possess. This is something to watch out for, and it is disappointing to see so many inexperienced companies and disreputable scammers taking advantage of claimants for gain.
At Your Lawyers – The Data Leak Lawyers – we have a long-established reputation for handling data breach cases. We are currently sitting on the Steering Committee responsible for conducting the first GDPR group action case in the UK, against British Airways. We have been fighting for the rights of data breach victims as far back 2014, which is a great deal longer than most other firms.
Many people unfortunately fell victim to identity fraud in 2020. It was another year that has been plagued by data breaches, leaks and hacks, with an increase that was widely attributed to the coronavirus pandemic.
With public awareness of identity fraud also on the rise, many consumers are increasingly concerned about their online security; and with good reason. At the Data Leak Lawyers, as a leading firm of data compensation experts, we see businesses failing to protect their customers’ data time and time again. The sheer quantity of data breaches in 2020 means that we have launched several new actions over the past year.
In September, a study by Finder reportedly found that online shopping scams had increased by over a third in the first half of 2020.
The national lockdowns resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic have frequently been singled out as the reason for this notable rise in cases, which comes as no surprise. As such, it is also unsurprising that further waves of online shopping scams may continue as we enter the second month of the latest national lockdown in England.
Indeed, the figures in the Finder report suggested that online shopping and auction scams accounted for around two-thirds of fraud reported by consumers in 2020. Clearly, the threat of online shopping scams cannot be underestimated.
Although the industry has, unfortunately, had quiet year in 2020, it seems this fact has not lessened their risk of travel and leisure data breaches.
Travel and leisure breaches have been prominent in the news with the revelation that companies including Expedia and Booking.com have been affected by a large-scale breach, after their partner Prestige Software failed to password-protect a database containing millions of customers’ booking details. Among the exposed details were guests’ names, phone numbers, email addresses and payment details, inducing risks of both blackmail and fraud.
As the travel and leisure industries continue to be a prime target of hackers, it is important to evaluate the scale of the impact, and to consider why these companies succumb to breaches again and again.
In the UK last year, the coronavirus pandemic caused us to lead more and more of both our personal and professional lives online. As such, the risk of fraud from data breaches has heightened.
In 2020, The Daily Express reported that one in five people (equating to around 11 million) had their data hacked, and one in three reported that they are unequipped to protect their online data. This is a shocking number of victims which, in our view, is indicative of a national crisis in cybercrime. It undoubtedly reveals that large-scale action needs to be taken.
Indeed, the shocking nature of such statistics is part of the problem, as experts (ourselves included) cite low awareness as a key reason why the number of victims has been allowed to reach this horrifying height. The vice-president of Clario, the body which compiled the research in association with thinktank Demos, highlighted that victims seem to “think they should suffer in silence”.
According to recent media reports, a large number of psychotherapy patients, who belong to the same large clinic in Finland, found themselves on the receiving end of blackmail from a data breach.
Vastaamo, a countrywide practice, appears to have been targeted in two separate breaches, one potentially occurring in March 2019, and an initial attack as far back as November 2018. It appears that victims’ personal data was stolen from the company’s data storage system.
Although this is not a case we can represent people for, with it not being in England or Wales, it is an important one to consider. Ultimately, the risks – as we often advise – when it comes to this kind of data breach can be severe.
In the case of the recent Transform Hospital Group data breach, the large cosmetic surgery chain has been targeted by hackers who seem to be aiming to extort money from the company.
The group has not yet given a number for how many customers have been affected, but the data exposed is reported to be extensive. The inclusion of ‘before and after’ surgery photos has been a cause of particular concern among the victims, who fear they may be published on the internet.
For anyone involved in a data leak, the impact of having your information exposed can be devastating. In some of the worst of cases, the privacy of the information exposed can make the aftermath a deeply upsetting time. We have already taken on clients who have been affected by the Transform Hospital Group data breach, so do not hesitate to contact us if you would like advice regarding your potential compensation claim.
As pressure mounts on the airline, a British Airways data breach settlement is on the cards as the legal representatives of BA alert the court of their intentions to engage in negotiations.
The breaking news of this development comes from leading consumer action and data breach firm Your Lawyers, with wide coverage so far with major media outlets including The Sun and The Mirror. Your Lawyers, who sit on the Steering Committee responsible for the overall conduct of the litigation, declare that this is a massive step forward. This could signal the start of the end of the action that is now entering its third year, and it could represent an incredibly significant compensation pay-out bill that could reach up to £2.4 billion to be shared between over 400,000 victims if all initiate a claim.
The announcement signifies what we always believed should have been on the horizon. A settlement could effectively draw a line under the serious 2018 data breach that shocked the world. We urge victims who have yet to claim to come forward to start their case before the deadline to claim expires soon.
The HaveIBeenPwned platform watches for breaches and can be used to check email addresses to see if an account linked to that email has been compromised in a data breach.
Over the last few months, HaveIBeenPwned has reported huge numbers of data breaches involving millions of records. This can highlight just how frequently these serious breaches are taking place, which is bad for us all.
Data breaches are becoming an increasing threat in society, particularly with the way 2020 evolved with a huge increase in people working from home due to the coronavirus pandemic. Your Lawyers (T/a The Data Leak Lawyers) are experts in the field of data breach law as a leading firm of compensation experts, and we are always keen to help victims of data breaches and fight for the justice that they deserve. We have helped thousands of victims claim millions in damages, and we may be able to help you too.
The Stone Refurb data breach involves the Staffordshire-based IT company formally known as Encore PC.
They suffered a data breach in 2020 after reportedly being targeted by a cyberattack. Staffordshire police are understood to be investigating the cyberattack and they have urged anyone with information to contact them.
If you have been affected by a data breach where your personal details have been exposed, you could be eligible to make a claim for compensation with us today. We are a leading firm of data breach lawyers with years of experience representing victims for data breach claims. To talk to our team of experts today, see our contact page here for more information.
EasyJet admits data of nine million hacked
British Airways data breach: How to claim up to £6,000 compensation
Are you owed £5,000 for the Virgin Media data breach?
Virgin Media faces £4.5 BILLION in compensation payouts
BA customers given final deadline to claim compensation for data breach
Shoppers slam Morrisons after loyalty points stolen
Half a million customers can sue BA over huge data breach
Lawyers accuse BA of 'swerving responsibility' for data breach
The biggest data breaches of 2020
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