Science & Tech · Cybersecurity · 8 hrs ago
Loblaw says data breach affected about two million shoppers
Loblaw says hackers accessed personal information belonging to about two million shoppers in a breach earlier this year.
The Canadian grocery retailer says an unauthorized person accessed some of its technology systems around Feb.
23.
The information included names, addresses, phone numbers, birthdates and purchase details.
Loblaw CEO Per Bank apologized to affected customers and said the company is working to support them.
As a precaution, customers were logged out of apps and services using Loblaw’s PCiD credentials, including PC Optimum and PC Express.
The company is offering two years of free credit monitoring and identity restoration through TransUnion, with enrollment open until Feb.
28, 2027.
Loblaw also advises customers to watch for suspicious messages and account activity, but credit monitoring cannot protect against every use of stolen data.
Loblaw says a data breach affected about two million shoppers.
The company says an unauthorized third party accessed personal information, including names, addresses, phone numbers, birthdates and purchase details.
CEO Per Bank apologized to affected customers and said Loblaw is offering two years of free credit monitoring and identity restoration services.
Loblaw advises customers to be cautious about unexpected messages requesting personal information or asking them to click links or download attachments.
Privacy strategist Cat Coode warned that credit monitoring offers limited protection and cannot undo the exposure of personal data.
- Who
- Loblaw and about two million affected shoppers.
- What
- An unauthorized third party accessed certain personal information. Loblaw apologized and offered free credit monitoring and identity restoration services.
- When
- The unauthorized activity took place around Feb. 23, and Loblaw announced it in March. The company emailed affected customers this week.
- Where
- Loblaw technology systems in Canada. The company is based in Brampton, Ont.
- Why
- Not stated
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Unauthorized activity took place in certain Loblaw technology systems.
Loblaw announced that unauthorized activity had taken place in certain technology systems.
Loblaw emailed affected customers about the breach and its response.
The deadline for affected shoppers to enroll in the offered services.
- Affected shoppers
- About two million
- Information accessed
- Names, addresses, phone numbers, birthdates and purchase details
- Credit monitoring
- Two years, through TransUnion
- Enrollment deadline
- Feb. 28, 2027
- Company base
- Brampton, Ont.
3 sources
What people are saying
We’re sorry for the concern this may cause
It only covers if someone is going to use your information in order to apply for a credit card or apply for certain government documents. It doesn't cover the spectrum of the things that you could do with that data.
The privacy issue can never be resolved … Once your data is available, it is available. ... You can change your credit card number, but you can't change your birthdate.