Oct 27, 2018, 12:42 am
Last edit by: T8191
This thread relates to SPG Law's proposed Group Proceedings against British Airways, in respect of the Data Protection Act 2018 (which incorporates the GDPR).
There is a separate thread that relates to the actual data breaches and their implications for customers, which is to be found here: BA Investigating Theft of Personal and Financial Data
The one law firm that currently seems to be persuing a Class Action against BA is SPG. They have a specific site set up at https://www.badatabreach.com/ - please make sure you check all the FAQs and terms and conditions and make sure the Class Action is right for you before you sign up.
* SPG is now PGMBM.
* Payments are being made through Shieldpay, who are seeming to be both lethargic and/or inept.
There is a separate thread that relates to the actual data breaches and their implications for customers, which is to be found here: BA Investigating Theft of Personal and Financial Data
The one law firm that currently seems to be persuing a Class Action against BA is SPG. They have a specific site set up at https://www.badatabreach.com/ - please make sure you check all the FAQs and terms and conditions and make sure the Class Action is right for you before you sign up.
* SPG is now PGMBM.
* Payments are being made through Shieldpay, who are seeming to be both lethargic and/or inept.
BA data theft: should I join the class action suit?
Oct 27, 2018, 6:32 am
#62
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL/CR; Hilton Diamond; Mucci des Puccis
Posts: 5,610
oh come off it. It is generally applicable. Do you deny that hacking is a criminal act? To what extent is someone responsible for downstream consequences of being a victim of crime?
it's a legitimate question. But I suspect beyond the 'greater good' arguments it's convenient to paint BA as a villain to justify the compo.
it's a legitimate question. But I suspect beyond the 'greater good' arguments it's convenient to paint BA as a villain to justify the compo.
Oct 27, 2018, 6:36 am
#63
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,211
Goodness me dear PUCCI ...... when you say you’re “like HIDDY” on this, you’re referring to an FT member who - on his own admission just the other day - hasn’t actually travelled anywhere in the last three years (an embargo imposed by his good wife, seemingly). Little wonder then, that when BA advise of data breaches potentially affecting customers who have made bookings between various specified dates durung the past few months, it is all of zero concern to HIDDY, and indeed any others who have had no occasion to do business with BA. Or .....as he puts it himself : “ I couldn’t give a monkeys about it ..... “
Anyway...a lovely warm sunny morning here and the birds are chirping away. It's good to be alive.
Oct 27, 2018, 6:37 am
#64
Join Date: May 2006
Location: 5 miles from EMA
Programs: BD, BAEC Pleb, VS Pleb, Accor Pleb, HHonors Gold, Big White Season Pass
Posts: 5,904
Apologies if it came across as a playground rallying cry. I was merely interested in whether the class action was likely to have legs or not
Like many, this has the potential to come back and bite me for years to come. I therefore want to ICO to make an example of BA. But most of all I want BA to drop the “we’re the victim” act, and the associated arrogance that’s causing so many other people to become disaffected. Especially when people remind them of their obligations under article 82.1 and they ignore 50% of that. Just like they forget to tell a plane load of people that they’re due compensation for a cancelled flight. It’s all about the bare minimum.
The simple fact is that this situation was entirely avoidable by employing some best practices and some people with an appropriate skill-set. And that’s the rub. Penny wise, pound foolish indeed.
Like many, this has the potential to come back and bite me for years to come. I therefore want to ICO to make an example of BA. But most of all I want BA to drop the “we’re the victim” act, and the associated arrogance that’s causing so many other people to become disaffected. Especially when people remind them of their obligations under article 82.1 and they ignore 50% of that. Just like they forget to tell a plane load of people that they’re due compensation for a cancelled flight. It’s all about the bare minimum.
The simple fact is that this situation was entirely avoidable by employing some best practices and some people with an appropriate skill-set. And that’s the rub. Penny wise, pound foolish indeed.
Oct 27, 2018, 7:03 am
#65
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 18,618
Say you are burgled and someone takes a computer with emails with details of someone else's travel? Would you expected to be sued by them for punitive damages? Now that's not a directly applicable analogy to a business process lapse of this scale, but it shows it's not as simple as black v white.
Say you left your front door open, and you are burgled and someone takes a computer with emails with details of someone else's travel? Would you expected to be sued by them for punitive damages?
Oct 27, 2018, 7:05 am
#66
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
oh come off it. It is generally applicable. Do you deny that hacking is a criminal act? To what extent is someone responsible for downstream consequences of being a victim of crime?
it's a legitimate question. But I suspect beyond the 'greater good' arguments it's convenient to paint BA as a villain to justify the compo.
Of course it might well emerge that BA really was the victim of wily and exceptionally talented individuals, perhaps even the operatives of an alien government with unlimited resources. If such criminals mounted an attack the company could not be expected to defend itself against, the class action will fail.
And i'll eat my hat.
Oct 27, 2018, 7:26 am
#68
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, EK Skywards (enhanced Blue !), Oman Air Sindbad Gold
Posts: 6,399
Oct 27, 2018, 7:29 am
#69
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: EDI
Programs: BAEC GGL
Posts: 181
As always, there are lots of valid points here. Pucci Galore was talking about not losing money, which is good, but we should maybe expect this to impact more of us as the stolen data is definitely making its way through the chain of criminals and is now being used to make fraudulent payments.
I have a Post Office card that I use mainly for foreign currency transactions and it’s had to be replaced twice since July, in one case with just over $3400 of goods bought with it before the card was stopped. I’ve never attributed those losses to BA, although I have used it for some part pay with Avios bookings and it’s the card that Propeller use when they book my GUf travel through BA.com.
However, I also have a BA Premium Amex, that with the exception of a couple of uses at Cafe Nero five months ago, I have only ever used to buy BA flights with. The suspicious transactions started appearing on Tuesday of this week so I have to conclude that this is because of the breach and then of course I start to wonder about the other card as well.
So this breach is going to cost people real money, particularly if they were unfortunate enough to use a debit card. Thankfully in my case, both the Post Office and AMEX have totally been on top of this and apart from the minor inconvenience of my cards being revoked I have suffered no material loss.
I have a Post Office card that I use mainly for foreign currency transactions and it’s had to be replaced twice since July, in one case with just over $3400 of goods bought with it before the card was stopped. I’ve never attributed those losses to BA, although I have used it for some part pay with Avios bookings and it’s the card that Propeller use when they book my GUf travel through BA.com.
However, I also have a BA Premium Amex, that with the exception of a couple of uses at Cafe Nero five months ago, I have only ever used to buy BA flights with. The suspicious transactions started appearing on Tuesday of this week so I have to conclude that this is because of the breach and then of course I start to wonder about the other card as well.
So this breach is going to cost people real money, particularly if they were unfortunate enough to use a debit card. Thankfully in my case, both the Post Office and AMEX have totally been on top of this and apart from the minor inconvenience of my cards being revoked I have suffered no material loss.
Oct 27, 2018, 7:30 am
#70
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: London/NYC
Programs: BA GFL/GGL/CCR, SPG Plat for Life, HHDiamond, xG Aegean, Avis President's Circle
Posts: 26
A word of warning: I use PayPal for my tax payments for the BA redemptions. I’ve just had an unauthorised “subscription” activated on my PayPal account. The vendor’s information was all in katakana. It never happened before. I’d be surprised it it was unrelated.
I wotnder if anyone else using PayPal for BA transactions may have got affected. Coraggio!
I wotnder if anyone else using PayPal for BA transactions may have got affected. Coraggio!
Oct 27, 2018, 7:32 am
#71
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 6,349
Not sure FT is really the place to establish whether the action has legs though, I doubt FT users account for 1% of those signing up.
Oct 27, 2018, 7:34 am
#72
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,262
Me and another joined today - I’ve been involved in both hacks - it’s simply not good enough and the three communications from BA have been unacceptable in timing, detail and accountability
Oct 27, 2018, 7:45 am
#73
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,756
I said it in another thread recently and I’ll repeat it, the way BA treats their customers in so many ways when it comes to EC261 claims, poor CS operators, petty penny pinching, wrong information and poor communication - you reap what you sow.
My faith in getting somewhere safely with BA is more or less 100%. My faith in the company to treat me with respect and fairness is far less.
My faith in getting somewhere safely with BA is more or less 100%. My faith in the company to treat me with respect and fairness is far less.
Oct 27, 2018, 12:32 pm
#75
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Somewhere in the Air
Programs: BA GGL, *A Silver, OW Emerald, HH Diamond, Karahi Express
Posts: 554