TFG apologises after cyber attack hits Hobbs, Whistles and Phase Eight
TFG, owner of Hobbs, Whistles and Phase Eight, has apologised after a cyber security incident affected its UK websites, with payment data not thought to be at risk.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The owner of fashion brands Hobbs, Whistles and Phase Eight has apologised after a cyber security incident affected its UK websites. TFG London, part of The Foschini Group, said it became aware of the incident on Sunday. It said some websites have been affected and its web services may be down while it investigates whether any customer information was accessed. The company said it has no reason to believe payment information is at risk.
Customers who shop at the three brands have been warned to stay vigilant. The incident is the second hack of a UK retailer in a week. Online clothing retailer ASOS was hit last Tuesday. ASOS has since confirmed that an unauthorised party gained access to some personal data, including names and contact details. It also gave more details of how a hacker impersonated a trusted contact, accessed an employee's account and sent a notification to all ASOS customers.
Other incidents. H&M confirmed it is investigating reports of a potential hack but said there is currently no evidence to suggest its data was breached. The Housing Ombudsman's online service is experiencing a cyber security incident, with its case management system impacted. It said it is working to restore services.
Advice. Businesses are being urged to give employees more cyber security training to spot phishing scams and to keep software up to date. Customers are advised not to click on suspicious links and to change passwords after news of a hack. There has been a big surge in cyber attacks on businesses in the last couple of years.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Reported by all 2 channels | ||
| Foschini Group, owner of Hobbs and Whistles, apologised after a cyber attack affecting some of its websites, though payment data is not thought to be at risk. | ||
| Only on one channel | ||
| ASOS confirmed that an unauthorised party gained access to personal data including names and contact details. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Reported by ITV |
| H&M confirmed it is investigating reports of a potential hack but said there is no evidence its data was breached. | Not reported by Channel 5 | |
| The Housing Ombudsman's online service is experiencing a cyber security incident affecting its case management system. | Not reported by Channel 5 | Reported by ITV |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
5 News at Lunchtime gave the story a short, straight read. It focused on the apology from The Foschini Group, the effect on some websites and the fact that payment information is not believed to be at risk. It framed the incident as the second UK retailer hack in a week, after ASOS, and did not name Phase Eight or give details of the investigation into customer data.
- “The owner of fashion brands such as Hobbs and Whistles has apologised to customers after being hit by a cyber attack.”
- “The Foschini Group said some of its websites have been affected, but they don't believe payment information is at risk.”
- “It's the second hack of a UK retailer in just a week after clothing giant ASOS was hit last Tuesday.”
ITV Lunchtime News expanded the story to all three TFG brands, naming Hobbs, Whistles and Phase Eight. It reported that customers were warned to stay vigilant and that the parent company was investigating whether customer information was accessed. It also widened the frame to include H&M, ASOS and general cyber security advice.
- “TFG, the company that owns three separate fashion brands, has apologised to customers after becoming the latest UK retailer to be hit by a cyber attack in the last week after ASOS.”
- “Hobbs, Phase Eight and Whistles, all emailed their customers saying they suffered what they are calling a cyber security incident on Sunday”
- “there has been a big surge in cyber attacks on businesses in the last couple of years.”
The evening bulletin led with the apology and the Sunday timing of the TFG incident. It repeated that payment information is not thought to be at risk and added that ASOS had confirmed an unauthorised party accessed personal data including names and contact details. It also reported a separate cyber security incident at the Housing Ombudsman.
- “the owner of fashion brands Phase Eight Hobbs and Whistles has apologised to customers after being hit by a cyber attack.”
- “The retail group TFG became aware of a cyber security incident affecting its UK brands on Sunday but said there is no reason to believe that payment information is at risk.”
- “ASOS confirmed an unauthorised party had gained access to some personal data including names and contact details.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.