Five weeks on from the destructive cyber attacks, which left shelves empty, card payments halted, online orders stopped, and customer data stolen, and matters for Marks & Spencer just keep getting worse.
The beleaguered retailer is now facing a class action lawsuit from customers whose personal data was leaked.
The attack, which took place over Easter Weekend, led to the theft of customer and staff information, including phone numbers, home addresses, dates of birth and online ordering histories.
Supermarket Co-op and luxury retailer Harrods were also attacked within days.
Case growing fast
Represented by Thompsons Solicitors Scotland, the group now consists of over 300 claimants and the firm expects that number to “increase substantially”, believing it could be the “biggest data theft case” it has ever been involved in.
“Worryingly, a significant percentage of our new clients have already been contacted by scammers which can cause distress,” says Patrick McGuire, a senior partner at Thompsons Solicitors Scotland. “Data theft is a serious crime and Marks and Spencer’s inability to protect their loyal customers is unacceptable and my team will ensure they receive proper compensation.”
Ongoing issues
Marks & Spencer has confirmed its online services will continue to be disrupted until July.
The company is “on the road to recovery” and “getting back to business,” says chief executive Stuart Machin.
However it’s estimated that the attack will hit the UK retailer’s annual profits by around £300m.
Marks & Spencer refuses to comment on whether it has paid a ransom to the hackers.
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