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WHSmith data breach: Customers report IT glitch 'distributing people's personal details' WHSmith data breach: Customers report IT glitch 'distributing people's personal details'
(35 minutes later)
WHSmith customers are reporting what appears to be a major data protection breach, with the retailer's IT system distributing "hundreds" of people's personal information via mass email. A glitch in the IT system for WHSmith's subscriptions service has seen dozens of people's personal data distributed to other customers via email.
The reported breach seemed to involve the company's Magazines subscription service. Customers who had used the related "Contact Us" form said they started receiving spam emails this morning that included other people's phone numbers, names and email addresses. Users reported what one called a "huge breach of data protection" on Wednesday morning, involving the company's magazine subscription service.
Jono Read wrote on Twitter that it appeared "every time someone emails WHSmith about magazine subscriptions it's going to everyone on the database, details too". Customers who had used the related "Contact Us" form said they started receiving spam that included other people's phone numbers, names and email addresses.
Another user, Lynn Schreiber, posted screenshots of the problem and said she was getting "dozens of emails". The company has confirmed to The Independent that there had been an issue with its subscription service, which it described as "a bug, not a data breach", which led to customers "receiving emails this morning that have been misdirected in error".
She said some users were exacerbating the problem by reporting it via the "contact us" form, and seeing those emails also forwarded to "random folk". Dozens of users complained on the retailer's Facebook page. User Steph Armitt said she had received "65 emails starting at 00.12 this morning". Yasmin Schulze said she had "over 20 emails so far from your contact us forms with customers emails and phone numbers". She added that it was "not only a privacy issue but also highly annoying".
In one message, a user named Charlie appeared to have realised this, and sent a "shout-out to my awersome husband and daughter". While some described the incident as a possible WHSmith "hack", others suggested it may be down to a glitch in the retailer's IT system.
Anyone else getting dozens of emails via @WHSmith contact form ? Including phone numbers pic.twitter.com/960EZYNSSEAnyone else getting dozens of emails via @WHSmith contact form ? Including phone numbers pic.twitter.com/960EZYNSSE
Hi Charlie! Hope you are having a fun day. Maybe we should all stop complaining and just chat ;-) #whsmith pic.twitter.com/rkfhBP6fs0Hi Charlie! Hope you are having a fun day. Maybe we should all stop complaining and just chat ;-) #whsmith pic.twitter.com/rkfhBP6fs0
Dozens of users have complained on the retailer's Facebook page. User Steph Armitt said she had received "65 emails starting at 00.12 this morning". Yasmin Schulze said she had "over 20 emails so far from your contact us forms with customers emails and phone numbers". She added that it was "not only a privacy issue but also highly annoying".
While some described the incident as a possible WHSmith "hack", others suggested it may be down to a glitch in the retailer's IT system.
Many complained about the lack of a response from the company - and one, Claire Brown, even suggested that her first post complaining of the issue "has been deleted".Many complained about the lack of a response from the company - and one, Claire Brown, even suggested that her first post complaining of the issue "has been deleted".
Update: WHSmith appears to have taken down the "Contact Us" page involved. Otherwise, the retailer's press office is not responding to requests for comment and the company is yet to provide any updates online. On Twitter, Jono Read wrote that it appeared "every time someone emails WHSmith about magazine subscriptions it's going to everyone on the database, details too".
More follows Another user, Lynn Schreiber, posted screenshots of the problem and said she was getting "dozens of emails".
This morning I have recived three emails from customers using your online "contact us" user forms. It has their contact...
She said some users were exacerbating the problem by reporting it via the "contact us" form, and seeing those emails also forwarded to "random folk".
In one message, a user named Charlie appeared to have realised this, and sent a "shout-out to my awersome husband and daughter".
WHSmith said that the "Contact Us" page where the bug occurred had been taken down, and apologised to the customers concerned.
A spokesperson said the company "believe[s] the issue has impacted fewer than 40 customers", despite the large numbers complaining online. It did not elaborate on what led it to that conclusion.
"I-subscribe (who manage WHSmith's magazine subscriptions) are contacting the customers concerned to apologise for this administrative processing error. We can confirm that this issue has not impacted or compromised any customer passwords or payment details."