A database containing the details of 400,000 Belgian customers of online retailer Bol has appeared on the dark web. According to Bol, there is no evidence of a hack.
The data leak was noticed by Dark Web Informer, which tracks and publicizes data breaches. Dark Web Informer refers to a database with the details of 400,000 customers who made purchases at Bol. The hacker, operating under the pseudonym Jeffrey Epstein, claims that the data belongs to Belgian customers.
The leaked database contains two types of data: personally identifiable information and customer purchase information. Personal information includes customer IDs, names, email addresses, ID card details, and addresses. Purchase and delivery details could also be used to derive someone’s address, alongside information about delivered packages, tracking numbers, and payment methods.
This combination of data can be very attractive to hackers and phishers. If you are expecting a package, someone with malicious intent could send you a personalized email in Bol’s name, featuring a fake webpage containing a tracking code for your parcel. Before you know it, you might leave even more information about yourself on that fraudulent page.
‘No indications of a hack’
Bol already informed Tweakers on Saturday that there are no signs of a data breach. A spokesperson confirmed this to ITdaily today. “We take signals of fraud or scams by third parties very seriously. At this moment, there is no indicator whatsoever that this data originates from Bol or one of our partners or external service providers. Our systems are functioning normally, and there are no indications that data has been stolen or misused.”
If Bol has indeed been the victim of a cyberattack, it would not be the first Dutch company to experience this recently. Basic-Fit and Booking.com also faced cyberattacks that affected millions of customers across multiple countries. In Bol’s case, it involves only a fraction of the fourteen million customers it has in Belgium and the Netherlands, but for the 400,000 alleged victims, it could potentially have unpleasant consequences.
Want to be on the safe side? You can use free tools like HaveIbeenPwned.com to check if the email address linked to your Bol account has been involved in a data breach. Also, be extra vigilant regarding emails you receive on behalf of the online retailer.
This article was updated on April 20 at 12:00 PM with a response from Bol.