Renault and Dacia UK Data Breach: Customer Information at Risk

Renault and Dacia UK informed their customers that data had been breached. The breach occurred as a result of an external service provider being hacked. The hackers were able to access their systems and copied customer details.

Renault has stated that the issue has been fixed and the hacker is no longer in the systems. They have reported this to UK officials. However, they have not revealed the name of the service provider or how many consumers were affected by the breach.

What Data Was Breached​

The list of information that was taken by the hacker is:

• Full name
• Gender
• Phone number
• Email address
• Home address
• Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
• Vehicle registration number

That's a lot of personal information. And with the VIN and vehicle registration numbers, the fraudsters can create very realistic looking fake messages.

The good news is, Renault states that no bank or financial details were breached. So your money is safe!

Why You Should Care​

You might think, "It's just automobile information, what's the big deal?" Here is the rub:

• Hackers are able to send phishing emails, texts, or calls that look very realistic.
• The hackers can use your VIN or registration number to make the phishing even more realistic.
• Even if your banking information is safe, the hackers can trick you into sharing more without your knowledge by pretending to be Renault, your dealer, or even DVLA.

This shows that car companies are prime targets for hackers. Recently, Jaguar Land Rover also suffered a cyberattack, which shut down production even time.

What You Should Do​

If Renault or Dacia have notified you that your data was involved in the breach, here are some steps to take right now:

• Be careful with emails or phone calls. Don't click random links.
• Check to see if the company is actually Renault or Dacia, and not someone pretending to be them.
• Be aware of scam messages regarding your car or service.
• Monitor accounts in case anything weird occurs.
• Stay tuned because sometimes companies will offer free protection services afterwards.