Some customers of Paddy Power and Betfair have been advised to stay alert following a data breach that may have affected up to 800,000 users.
The breach exposed certain personal details such as IP addresses, email addresses, and records of online activity.
The company has shared online safety tips with those affected and stated, “There is nothing you need to do in response to this incident, but we recommend staying vigilant.”
Flutter Entertainment has around 4.2 million active monthly users across its various brands in the UK and Ireland, which also include Sky Bet and Tombola.
According to the company, the breach has now been contained. It emphasized that no passwords, ID documents, or usable payment information were accessed.
Despite this, cybersecurity specialists have raised concerns that the exposed data could be used in targeted phishing campaigns, specifically spear phishing, where attackers send highly personalized emails to deceive victims.
Harley Morlet, chief marketing officer at Storm Guidance, noted that high-spending users might be particularly vulnerable. He explained that with the help of AI, it would be easy to launch automated attacks that craft messages designed to appeal to individual gamblers.
Tim Rawlins, director and senior adviser at cybersecurity firm NCC Group, told the BBC’s Wake Up to Money programme that users should be cautious of emails that reference their betting history or prompt them to click on links or provide financial information.
He warned that people may be tricked into re-entering their credit card or bank details and advised users to stay aware of these tactics.
“If it sounds too good to be true, it’s probably a scam,” he said.
Rawlins added that phishing emails have become more convincing and that AI tools are making it increasingly difficult to distinguish between fake messages and legitimate ones.
Found this article interesting? Follow us on X(Twitter) ,Threads and FaceBook to read more exclusive content we post.
