Statement re: Beacon Data Breach

Important Notice
A data security incident may affect information we hold about you.

What happened?
Age UK West Sussex, Brighton & Hove uses some external companies to help deliver its services. We have been informed of a data security incident affecting Beacon, the third-party supplier we use to manage our fundraising and supporter database. That database was accessed by an unauthorised individual(s), and we are continuing to liaise with Beacon to establish the full circumstances of the incident.

What are we doing?  
Since being notified of the incident, we have been working closely with Beacon to understand the potential impact and to understand how to support those affected. We have also reported this to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to ensure we meet all relevant regulatory obligations.

At this stage, we are carefully assessing the information to ensure that any communication we send is accurate, consistent and based on the latest verified information. We are contacting certain individuals where we believe that they may be at risk due to the information that was affected by this incident. 
 
Could my information be affected?
We know that some names and contact details are affected. The data security incident does not include card payment or health information. The incident affects our donors and supporters, and where we suspect that you may be at risk due to the information that may be involved, we will contact you separately.
 
Do I need to do anything?
As a precaution, we recommend remaining vigilant for unexpected emails, telephone calls or messages claiming to be from Age UK West Sussex, Brighton & Hove or any other organisation. We will never ask you unexpectedly for passwords, verification codes, bank details or payment information.
 
If you think you may have been targeted by a scam or suspicious communication, please contact us using the details below. If our assessment determines that we need to contact you directly, we will do so as soon as possible.
 
Keeping you informed
We understand this news may be concerning. We are committed to keeping our supporters, volunteers and wider community informed as more information becomes available.
 
If you have any questions, or think you have received a suspicious communication, please contact info@ageukwsbh.org.uk or call 0800 019 1310.
 
Thank you.