Toys “R” Us Canada has informed customers about a data breach that could have exposed their personal details. The toy store disclosed in an email sent to shoppers on Thursday that it became aware on July 30 of information being shared on the “unindexed Internet” claiming to have been obtained from the company’s databases.
It remains uncertain whether Toys “R” Us Canada was referring to the deep web, a segment of the internet that is challenging to access due to not being indexed by search engines, or the dark web, which requires specific software and is often associated with illicit activities.
Following the notification that data related to the company was circulating online, Toys “R” Us Canada enlisted cybersecurity professionals to probe the matter. Subsequently, it was confirmed that unauthorized third parties had copied the records.
The compromised records may include customers’ names, addresses, emails, and phone numbers, as stated by the company. Fortunately, no sensitive data like passwords or credit card information was involved in the breach, and there is no evidence of misuse of the compromised information.
Toys “R” Us Canada expressed regret for any inconvenience caused by the incident and assured customers of ongoing efforts to enhance security measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future. The company is cooperating with privacy regulators and legal experts to address the breach.
Vito Pilieci, a spokesperson for the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, acknowledged the breach and mentioned reaching out to Toys “R” Us Canada for further details and next steps.
Customers were advised by Toys “R” Us Canada to be cautious of any unexpected or unsolicited emails or messages claiming to be from the company, as they could be fraudulent. Additionally, shoppers were warned against clicking on suspicious links or downloading attachments to avoid falling victim to phishing or spoofing attempts.
Cybersecurity incidents have been reported recently involving Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd., Nova Scotia Power, the College of New Caledonia in Prince George, B.C., and PowerSchool, a provider of educational software used in numerous schools.
Statistics from Statistics Canada reveal a rise in police-reported cybercrimes in the country, with fraud being the most prominent category among the reported crimes, followed by identity theft and identity fraud.
