Stafford-based refurbished electronics trader, Stone Refurb, was the subject of a major data breach earlier this year when cyber-criminals hacked its website and stole customers’ data, including bank details.
Police are now investigating the incident, which targeted customers between March and May 2020, and led to customers’ cash being stolen as a result of the breach.
The company is part of the UK’s largest privately owned IT hardware manufacturer, and was known as Encore PC at the time of the attack, but has since moved its name and website from www.encore-pc.co.uk to www.stonerefurb.co.uk.
Encore PC / Stone Group instructed the external hosting provider to take the website down immediately. The data breach was then reported to the Information Commissioner (ICO), Action Fraud and the Police.
The company has alerted those affected and apologised for the data breach, however customers have reported to have had their bank details cloned and have lost money as a result of their compromised data, with one customer claiming to have lost more than £2,300.
One angry customer told Business Telegraph : “Product arrived okay but a few weeks later Encore PC informed me they allowed my name, address and credit card details to be stolen in a complete security failure.”
It is not yet clear how many people have been affected by the Stone Refurb/Encore PC data breach, but Staffordshire Police has confirmed they are investigating the case and has asked anyone affected to contact them.
What if my data has been compromised?
If you believe your data has been compromised, notify your bank and check your payment history for any transactions that you don’t recognise. You may also be eligible to make a data breach compensation claim.
Both individuals and companies can claim for compensation. To claim, you must be able to show you suffered as a result of the data protection breach – this can be either financial damages or personal distress.
CEL Solicitors operate on a no win no fee basis. This means that your legal costs will be deducted from the compensation you receive. If your claim is not successful you don’t pay a penny. Our expert, friendly team can provide guidance on the best possible route for you.
