Electric Ireland customers in Cork warned accounts may have been compromised

Thousands of people have received letters from Electric Ireland warning of a leak of customer’s personal data which could lead lead to customers' bank accounts being accessed.

The letter sent to a customer in Cork, seen by The Echo, began: 

“It has come to Electric Ireland’s attention that a person working on our behalf may have been accessing Electric Ireland customer details to facilitate financial fraud.” 

Electric Ireland is the retail division of ESB (Electricity Supply Board), recognised as Ireland’s leading energy provider.

The company supplies electricity, gas and energy services to over 1.2 million households and 95,000 businesses in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

It warned customers: “In investigating the matter, Electric Ireland has established that your account may have been compromised, including your name, address, date of birth, telephone number, email address and bank account details.” 

Electric Ireland added that the matter was being investigated by the Gardaí, saying “An Garda Síochána are also conducting an investigation into this activity.” 

They strongly recommended that affected customers took two actions to protect themselves from being defrauded by “persons who may have accessed your bank account and/or personal detail.” They suggested: “Take appropriate steps to safeguard your financial accounts, which may include changing your passwords and being vigilant to any unusual activity or unsolicited calls.

“Review your relevant bank account statements since October 2021, to identify if there is any suspicious activity which may indicate that your account has been compromised and subject to fraud.” 

If customers do identify any potential fraudulent activity on their account which may be connected with the data held by Electric Ireland, they are asked to notify the company a form which was sent alongside the letter, and return it using the freepost envelope provided.

In a statement to The Echo, Electric Ireland confirmed that “a small proportion of its 1.1m residential accounts may have been compromised”.

They explained: “Electric Ireland is aware that an employee of a company working on our behalf may have inappropriately accessed a small proportion of our 1.1m residential customer accounts leading to the potential misuse of personal and financial information.

“Our investigations have established that approximately 8,000 customer accounts may have been compromised.

“Electric Ireland has written to all potentially impacted customers to make them aware of the issue and provide advice and instructions on what actions to take to mitigate against the risk of potential financial fraud - customers who have not received a letter from Electric Ireland do not need to take any action.

“This issue is currently under investigation and Electric Ireland is liaising with An Garda Síochána and the Data Protection Commissioner, and as such the details of this case must remain confidential.

“Electric Ireland fully appreciates the gravity of this issue and the concern and inconvenience it will create for those affected customers.

“Customers affected by this issue, who may have experienced any fraudulent activity on their financial accounts in relation to data they gave to Electric Ireland, have been asked to contact the company directly.

“Electric Ireland will inform An Garda Síochána who are managing this investigation. Customers are also advised to contact their bank.”