🚨 What is a Data Breach and How Could It Affect You? 🚨

A data breach happens when information held by an organisation is accessed, stolen, or disclosed without permission. If you are a customer of that organisation, criminals may use information revealed in the breach to create convincing scam emails, text messages, and phone calls. They may already know details such as your name, address, date of birth, or email address.

⚠️ Remember: Someone knowing personal information about you does not prove they are genuine.

🚨 If an organisation you deal with suffers a data breach:

✅ Verify any information through official channels only. Visit the organisation's website directly or use a telephone number you know is genuine.

✅ Do not click links or use contact details provided in unexpected emails, texts, or messages.

✅ Be cautious of anyone asking for personal information, passwords, PINs, bank details, or one-time security codes.

✅ If a password may have been exposed, change it immediately. If you use the same password elsewhere, change those too, especially for your email account.

✅ Enable Two-Step Verification (2SV) or Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) wherever available.

✅ Regularly monitor your online accounts and bank accounts for any unusual activity.

🚨 Report Suspicious Messages

📧 Forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk

📱 Forward suspicious text messages to 7726 (free of charge)

💬 Report suspicious messages received through WhatsApp and other messaging apps using the app's reporting function

Think ABC - Assume Nothing. Believe Nothing. Check Everything. Then Check It Again.

🚨If you become a victim of fraud or cyber crime

🌐 Report it to Action Fraud

📞 Call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040

🏦 To quickly contact your bank following suspected fraud, call 159

Please share this advice with friends, family and anyone who may be less confident online to help keep our communities safe.