Police are investigating a "significant" cyber-attack on TalkTalk's website, which may have led to customers' credit card and bank details being compromised.
In a statement, TalkTalk said that its website was hit with a "significant and sustained cyberattack" on Wednesday October 21, and that a police investigation had been launched the following day. The service currently has four million customers.
TalkTalk said that names, addresses, dates of birth, email addresses, telephone numbers, TalkTalk account information, and credit card and bank details may have been accessed in the attack.
At the time of publishing, TalkTalk customers were still unable to access the account section of the website. What's most worrying, however, is that TalkTalk says that "not all of the data was encrypted", potentially making it easier for intruders to access.
A Russian cyber-group has taken responsibility for the attacks, but their claim is yet to be verified. The latest attack marks the third data breach that TalkTalk has experienced this year.
What to do now
Until we know more, the best thing you can do is change your banking and online passwords for safety. You should also pay close attention to your bank accounts for any signs that fraudulent activity that may have taken place. TalkTalk also suggests checking your credit report.
If you do notice anything suspicious, you should contact both your bank and national fraud reporting centre Action Fraud, which can be reached on 0300 123 2040.
To make any changes to your TalkTalk account, you are advised to phone TalkTalk on 0800 083 2710 or 0141 230 0707.
You should also be cautious with any emails or calls you receive from anybody claiming to be from the company. If people have access to your personal information, it will be easier for them to craft a convincing fraud email.
Do everything possible to verify the legitimacy of the person, including ensuring the email is from a legitimate @talktalk.co.uk address.
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