Scammers claiming to work for Virgin Media target elderly residents

Scammers claiming to work for Virgin Media have been contacting elderly residents, and this is something to watch out for.

The theft of personal data often can facilitate scams such as this, sometimes offering criminals a wealth of contact details with which to reach their victims. Although there is currently no evidence at all linking these scammers and the event of the leaked data in the Virgin Media data breach case, it is common for scams and fraud attempts to result from such data breaches. Indeed, some hackers steal data for this exact purpose, meaning that data breach victims can be vulnerable to all kinds of cybercrime risks. As such, victims of the leak should be wary, especially as some scammers may dupe someone into handing over information on the basis that their call relates to the breach.

In the Virgin Media data breach case, victims may have already endured financial loss after being targeted by scammers, whether linked to the incident or not. Whether they have fallen victim to criminals or not, all those affected by the Virgin Media data breach have a right to claim compensation for any harm caused to them. You can join our Virgin Media group action today if you think you may have a claim to make.

The threat of scammers claiming to work for Virgin Media

The reports of scammers claiming to work for Virgin Media have recently come from Renfrewshire in Scotland, but previous reports would suggest that this is not a localised issue to just there. Indeed, residents of Oxfordshire have received similar calls from fake Virgin Media employees in the past as well.

While in Renfrewshire, it is not clear what the exact nature of the scam is, the reports from Oxfordshire last October suggested that scammers were claiming that there was a problem with the customer’s internet connection. They then proceeded to ask for account and bank details.

It is likely that the elderly residents have been cruelly targeted on the basis that they may be less aware of cybercrime risks and can, therefore, be more vulnerable to scams.

Cybercrime and data breaches 

The scammers claiming to work for Virgin Media act as an example of the kind of fraudulent communication that many people receive after being affected by a data breach. Again, there is currently no link between the scammers and the data breach as far as we know, but scammers do use breached information to carry out such attacks, which is why we raise this.

Because phone numbers, email addresses and home addresses were exposed, victims of the Virgin Media data breach could be targeted through several routes. For example, as well as scam calls, they may also receive phishing emails, in which the sender similarly poses as a reputable company in an effort to extract further personal data, typically bank account or card details. We are keen to make sure that people are adequately warned.

In fact, some scammers may mention a data breach incident to make their scams more convincing, which is a key reason for us to cover this issue also. They may claim that data was lost in a leak, such that they need customers to disclose their details again. If they speak to someone who actually was affected by the data breach, it could mean that the victim gets duped.

Claiming for the financial and emotional impact of the Virgin Media data breach

Data breaches and scams are closely linked, which is why the law can entitle those affected by data breaches to claim for the financial losses and expenses caused by a data breach, as well as for any distress suffered. Virgin Media victims could be eligible to claim in either category or both categories in our group action.

We want to make sure that no Virgin Media victims miss out on their chance to claim compensation, which is why we are offering No Win, No Fee representation to eligible claimants. If you have been notified that you were affected by the Virgin Media data breach, you can start your claim online today.

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