Have you ever found yourself trusting an airline with your information while saying, "They will protect it"? Unfortunately, that trust has been broken with this situation. WestJet has confirmed that hackers accessed their systems and collected information from customers, including passport numbers.
They also cautioned that if you booked tickets along with another person under the same booking code that information could also be compromised.
Because it is better to be safe than sorry.
What happened?
In June, WestJet announced that they had a cyber incident that had impacted some of their systems and app. At that time, they did not indicate whether personal information was taken or not. Now they are confirming that personal information was compromised.What type of information was taken?
Hackers accessed potentially the following details:- Full Name and Date of Birth
- Residential Address
- Passport and ID Number
- Customer Requests/Complaints
- WestJet Rewards Information
- WestJet RBC Mastercard Account Information
Why is this significant?
While losing a password is inconvenient, losing a passport number is much worse because a hacker could use it to create fake identification or commit fraud. If you’ve ever needed to obtain a new passport, you know how slow, stressful, and costly it is.What is WestJet currently doing?
WestJet said that the FBI is investigation the matter. They will be providing customers for up to 2 years of identity theft monitoring (note: you must sign up before November 30).They also cautioned that if you booked tickets along with another person under the same booking code that information could also be compromised.
My thoughts
To be honest, I am not surprised. Airlines have lots of private information on people, and hackers seem to like targeting airlines. I always get nervous about putting my passport information in the online system, even when using a big company.Final thoughts
This breach is a significant indicator that once your information is online, it is never 100% secure. If you have recently flown with WestJet, just be aware of WestJet emails you may receive and consider signing up for their free identity protection.Because it is better to be safe than sorry.