50,000 Optus Customers Affected by White Pages Data Leak

Optus users have been receiving letters of apology from the company for about a month now after their private information ended up listed in White Pages. According to reports, the leaked information included the users’ names, home addresses, as well as phone numbers. Not only that, but it appears that the information was published in online and physical versions of White Pages, alike. Optus started sending apology letters as soon as it realized its mistakes, and some customers have reported receiving such letters, which were dated October 1st. In its letter, Optus states that they contacted Sensis as soon as the issue was discovered, and requested the removal of users’ details from their online web directory. They also requested the removal of sensitive data from any future prints of the White Pages. Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done when it comes to the older versions of the White Pages. Optus also mentioned that it would continue to conduct audits and do everything in their power to ensure the security of the customers’ details in the future. Meanwhile, the company’s spokeswoman stated that a lot of the customers who had their data printed in the White Pages already had their information available on Sensis. Sensis itself, however, denied being responsible for the error. This is not the first time that Optus was a center of a major controversy, also. Earlier this year, in February, the company was fined $10 million for misleading customers. The company allegedly allowed its customers to unknowingly buy digital content via third-party billing services. Now, the ISP finds itself in another major controversy that occurred due to its own error. Meanwhile, anyone who suspects that they might be affected by the leak should report to Optus between 9 am and 5 pm during business days. The telco can be contacted by calling 1800 234 020. Were you affected by Optus’ data leak? Have you received the company’s letter in the past several days? Leave a comment below and tell us your thoughts on the incident.

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