Warnings to victims of Virgin Media data breach

In the aftermath of a data breach, the stress of the event can make it very hard to know what to do to protect yourself. If a third-party organisation has exposed your information, it is their job to notify you of the breach and inform you of any risks that you could face. However, sometimes victims do not receive the assistance they may need. We believe that it is vital to issue thorough warnings to victims of data breaches to ensure that no further personal data is at risk, as the warnings may need to go above and beyond the usual generic information.

Victims of the Virgin Media data breach saw their personal data exposed, revealed in March last year. It was identified that an unsecured database had exposed information belonging to 900,000 people, mainly customers. If you were affected, you may be able to claim compensation on the basis that Virgin Media failed to protect your personal data.

We believe that all data controllers should be held to the stringent regulations of UK data protection law. This is why we launched a group action against Virgin Media to ensure that justice is done.  Those affected can use our online form to start their claim today.

Warnings to victims

In the wake of a data breach, many companies issue generic warnings to victims about the risks that they may encounter. This can include warning victims of potential email and phone scams, telling them to change any affected passwords, or advising them to watch out for unauthorised transactions on their accounts.

In terms of our warnings to victims, we would advise victims to be very wary of companies trying to downplay the significance of a data breach. If a company is trying to shift the blame of an incident, or is trying to suggest that the exposure of your data is not capable of causing real harm, do not take this at face value. As expert data breach lawyers, we are equipped to advise you about your rights as a data breach victim, and to question the integrity of a third party responsible for the data breach. This includes when the risks are played down, because even a little information can go a very long way.

The risks of the Virgin Media data breach

The information exposed in the Virgin Media data breach included email addresses, home addresses and phone numbers. In some cases, it also included sensitive contract information. Consequently, the victims have been made potentially vulnerable to fraudulent communication. In scam calls and phishing emails, criminals typically aim to persuade victims to hand over further personal details by pretending to be a reputable company. In this case, scammers could even pose as Virgin Media themselves, and could even say that it is about the breach. We have seen this before in other incidents, so this is something to be very wary of.

One of our most important warnings to victims is to remember that, usually, no real company will ask you to disclose your credit card details over the phone or via email. In addition, avoid clicking on any links in suspicious emails, as these may contain viruses or malware.

Claiming in the Virgin Media group action

Anyone who was notified of their involvement in the Virgin Media data breach may be eligible to claim compensation in our group action. Your Lawyers is an expert firm specialising in data breach claims and group actions, and we currently sit on the Steering Committee conducting the British Airways Group Litigation Order, whose data breaches hit the headlines in 2018.

If you think you may be entitled to claim, simply go to our online form to confirm your eligibility and get your compensation claim started. You may be able to win thousands of pounds in compensations, and we are offering No Win, No Fee representation for eligible clients. As such, what have you got to lose in pursuing a legal case?

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