TalkTalk has emailed its customers to warn them about scammers impersonating TalkTalk customer service personnel.
Customer details, including names, home addresses, phone numbers and TalkTalk account numbers were stolen through an unnamed third party who had access to TalkTalk’s internal systems.
This information was used to call TalkTalk customers and ask them to download software onto their computers under the pretence of fixing problems with their machines or broadband service.
Once downloaded, this software would allow the scammer to take over the customer’s computer.
TalkTalk stressed that the number of customers affected had been small and that sensitive information such as bank or credit card details had not been accessed. The company has set up a dedicated helpline for victims of the scam.
The provider first received reports of the scam in late 2014 and has since investigated the problem.
"We know some customers are currently being targeted by criminal scammers claiming to be from TalkTalk who have obtained their account and phone number," said a statement by TalkTalk.
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"After further investigation, we’ve become aware that some limited information we have about some of our customers could have been accessed in violation of our security procedures."
