Thousands of Australian online shoppers have become victims of a hacking scam that targeted several prominent brands.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pledged to explore all possible measures to safeguard businesses against such scams following the breach, which resulted in the theft of credit card information from thousands of customers.

Large businesses, including popular brands like Dan Murphy’s, Binge, Event Cinemas, and Guzman Y Gomez, fell victim to cybercriminals who fraudulently accessed the online accounts of numerous customers over recent months.

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The hackers acquired stolen login details from overseas cybercriminals, using them to make unauthorised online purchases that amounted to thousands of dollars.

The affected customers had either stored their credit card information on company websites or possessed gift cards and store credit for online transactions.

Australian PM Anthony Albanese vows action against cyber criminals.

Significant threat

Prime Minister Albanese emphasised that cybercrime presents a significant threat to Australia’s economic security and called it a “scourge.” He expressed deep concern for the vulnerable individuals who have been deceived while acting in good faith and stressed the need to protect them.

The cybercriminals boasted about using unsuspecting Australians’ money to purchase iPhones, clothing, and nearly $800 worth of alcohol in online chat rooms.

In addition to Guzman Y Gomez, other major online retailers such as The Iconic were also affected by the attack, known as ‘credential stuffing.’

This technique involves hackers using previously stolen passwords from one website to gain unauthorized access to other platforms.