Retailer Dixons Carphone (which owns the Currys PC World brand) has revealed this week that it suffered a cyber attack which compromised data belonging to millions of customers. If you’ve been a customer, here’s what you need to know:
What happened?
Following a review, the company discovered that there had been unauthorised access to certain customer data. It is believed that there was an attempt to compromise 5.9 million cards in one of the processing systems of Currys PC World and Dixons Travel stores.
Do I have any rights?
Yes, and following the introduction of the GDPR laws, those rights are now far greater. If there is a serious breach of your personal data which is likely to result in a high risk to your rights, in most circumstances the company will have an obligation to inform you without undue delay. Dixons Carphone announced that it will contact all customers affected by the personal data breach to apologise and provide advice on protective steps they should take.
Will I receive compensation?
You will normally only be entitled to compensation if you have suffered a loss or distress. So, if you have suffered a loss as a consequence of the Currys PC World data breach, or suffered distress, you may be entitled to compensation if you can provide sufficient evidence.
What should I do now?
Change all of your passwords immediately and check your bank and credit card statements to make sure you haven’t been fleeced.
