Npower deactivates app after customers personal details stolen in hack

Have you had your details stolen? Npower deactivates app after personal details of customers are stolen in hack

  • Npower has scrapped its app after there was a security hack 
  • Customers personal details may have been stolen including contact information 
  • Consumers are advised to change their password and check bank account  

Npower has closed its app today after it was revealed hackers had accessed multiple customer accounts.

The energy giant said accounts were accessed using login data obtained from other websites, a technique known as ‘credential stuffing’.

Customers who used the app are now advised to check their bank accounts for suspicious activity and to change their password if they have used the same one on another account.

They could also become subject to phishing scams so should be aware of any unusual emails and phone calls.

Security issue: Npower has closed down its app after customers personal details were hacked 

Npower has not said how many accounts have been accessed and not all of them have been, after the hack was revealed by MoneySavingExpert. 

Those whose accounts were accessed have now been contacted. 

The firm confirmed personal information such as contact details, addresses and dates of birth may have been stolen.

Partial financial information, including sort codes and the last four digits of customers’ bank account numbers were also at risk.

Contact preferences, for example if you prefer to be contacted by email, text or phone call, may also have been accessed.

Npower has not said when the hack took place but claims the app will not relaunch after it was planning to close it down anyway.

It said it has contacted all active app users to let them know that they can continue to self-serve on the Npower website.

The energy firm has also notified the Information Commissioner’s Office and Action Fraud.

Alert: Npower has not said when the hack took place but claims the app will not relaunch

Alert: Npower has not said when the hack took place but claims the app will not relaunch 

An Npower spokesperson said: ‘We identified suspicious cyber activity affecting the Npower mobile app, where someone has accessed customer accounts using login data stolen from another website. 

‘We’ve contacted all affected customers to make them aware of the issue, encouraging them to change their passwords and advice on how to prevent unauthorised access to their online account.

‘We immediately locked any online accounts that were potentially affected, blocked suspicious IP addresses and took down the Npower app. 

‘Protecting customers’ security and data is our top priority and our robust defences helped us to identify this recent attack. 

‘It’s important we all continue to stay secure online and urge customers to avoid reusing the same password across multiple websites.’

Any concerned customers can contact Npower.  

Ray Walsh, digital privacy expert at ProPrivacy, added: ‘Hackers now have access to all the user credentials and passwords from the Npower app, which means that consumers must change any additional accounts they might have with the same password.

‘Otherwise, anyone that has reused the same password from the Npower app on another service could end up with that account also hacked.

‘The probability that consumers will also now receive phishing emails is high, so it is essential that consumers watch their inboxes carefully for any emails that coerce them into following links or ask for personal information.

‘This is a huge lapse of security from Npower, which has put consumers at substantial risk, and it will now be down to the ICO to investigate to figure out whether they deserve a fine.’

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